Chandigarh: In what is being perceived as a show of strength, newly-appointed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu today held a meeting with 62 party MLAs at his residence in Amritsar. Among those present at Sidhu’s house included three state cabinet ministers, several party district chiefs, and other prominent Congress leaders.

According to a News18 report, Sidhu had sent an invitation to all 77 Congress lawmakers to pay obeisance at Golden Temple before he takes over formally the role of the Punjab Congress chief. However, only 62 had accepted the invitation and met Sidhu today morning.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is upset with Sidhu over his purported remarks against his government over the power crisis and the sacrilege issue, and his close confidants, were conspicuously absent from Sidhu’s maiden visit to his constituency and religious places in the city after assuming the charge as the state chief.

Some of the other prominent lawmakers that visited Sidhu’s house were Raja Waring, Dr. Raj Kumar Verka, Inderbir Bolaria, Barinder Dhillon, Madan Lal Jalapuri, Harminder Gill, Harjot Kamal, Harminder Jassi, Joginder Pal, Pargat Singh, Gobaya, and Sukhjinder Randhawa.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress MLA Pargat Singh said the Punjab Chief Minister should apologise to the public instead of seeking an apology from Sidhu. “Why should Sidhu apologise (to CM)? It’s not a public issue. CM has not solved many issues. In that case, he should also apologise to public,” the MLA said.

Captain’s media advisor Raveen Thukral had Tuesday stated that the CM will not meet Sidhu till he publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him.

“Reports of Navjot Singh Sidhu seeking time to meet Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh are totally false. No time has been sought. No change in the stance. The Chief Minister will not meet Sidhu till he publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him,” said Singh’s media advisor in a tweet yesterday.

Punjab Congress Infighting

Sidhu, who had been at loggerheads with the CM over various issues, was appointed the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief despite strong opposition from the CM.

Singh was learnt to have told AICC general secretary Harish Rawat last week that he will not meet the cricketer-turned-politician until he publicly tenders an apology for his “derogatory” tweets against him.

There has been no reaction from the CM over the Amritsar East MLA’s elevation to the post of the chief of the party’s state unit.

Earlier, senior Congress leader and cabinet minister Brahm Mahindra had ruled out any personal meeting with Sidhu till he resolves his issues with Chief Minister Singh.