Punjab CM, Navjot Sidhu to Meet on Friday: Letter, Tea Invite Signal Thaw

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has invited all Congress MLAs, MPs and senior party functionaries for tea on Friday.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to Meet Tomorrow: Letter, Tea Invite Signal Thaw.

(Arnica Kala/The Quint)

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is expected to meet newly-elevated Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday, 23 July, in what could be seen as a significant toning down of the infighting that has beset the party over the last couple of weeks.

In a tweet on Thursday, Raveen Thukral, the media advisor to the Punjab CM, said that Amarinder Singh has invited all Congress MLAs, MPs and senior party functionaries for tea at 10 am on Friday.

"They will all then go to Punjab Congress Bhawan together from there for the installation of the new PPCC (Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee) team," he said.

Meanwhile, Sidhu wrote a second letter to the CM, urging him "to come and bless the new team of PCC on the occasion of our taking charge" on Friday, news agency ANI reported.

"I have no personal agenda, only pro-people agenda. Thus, as the eldest of our Congress family, I request you to please come and bless the new team of PCC."

Navjot Singh Sidhu's letter to Amarinder Singh, as quoted by NDTV

Contrast From Two Days Back

Sidhu will be taking charge as the state Congress chief on Friday, with party leaders indicating Amarinder Singh's presence at the event.

"Under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh, Congress will unitedly welcome the new president tomorrow. Congress MPs will be present," the state party in-charge Harish Rawat was quoted as saying.

The latest statements come in contrast to what Singh's media advisor had said just two days back. On Tuesday, Thukral had said that the Punjab CM won't meet Sidhu till the latter "publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him."

"Reports of @sherryontopp (Navjot Singh Sidhu) seeking time to meet @capt_amarinder are completely false. No time has been sought whatsoever. No change in stance... CM won’t meet #NavjotSinghSidhu till latter publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him," Raveen Thukral tweeted.

Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed the chief of the Congress' Punjab unit on Sunday amid a tussle with Singh.

The infighting in the Congress came just months ahead of the elections in Punjab, due to take place in early 2022, where the party would be seeking re-election after its victory in 2017.

(With inputs from PTI and NDTV.)