Amarinder Singh to attend function to install Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief
Jul 22, 2021
New Delhi [India], July 22 : Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will be present when newly-appointed state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu formally assumes office on Friday in Chandigarh.
Raveen Thukral, Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, said Capt Amarinder Singh has invited all Congress functionaries at Punjab Bhawan on Friday for tea and they will later go to or installation of the new Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) team.
"Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has invited all Congress MLAs, MPs and senior party functionaries at Punjab Bhawan 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 team," he said in a tweet.
Earlier, AICC-in-charge of Punjab Harish Rawat also said the Chief Minister will be present during the team installation ceremony.
"Under the leadership of Captain Amarinder Singh, Congress will unitedly welcome the new president tomorrow. Congress MPs will be present," Rawat said.
The Congress had appointed Sidhu as Punjab Congress chief on Sunday ahead of the assembly polls early next year.
Sidhu wrote a second letter to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday requesting him "to come and bless the new team of PCC on the occasion of our taking charge" in Chandigarh, sources said.
They said the letter has been signed by 56 Congress MLAs.
Sidhu had sent an invitation signed by around 65 MLAs to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh on Wednesday, sources had said.
After Sidhu's appointment, Thukral had said in a tweet on Tuesday that Sidhu had not sought time to meet the Chief Minister.
He also said that Chief Minister will not meet Sidhu "till he publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him".
On Wednesday, in a show of strength, 62 MLAs, reached Sidhu's residence in Amritsar on breakfast invitation. The MLAs at Sidhu's residence said that the party is united and that there is no need for an apology.
The Congress had on Sunday also announced four working presidents besides announcing Sidhu as the new state party chief. Sidhu has replaced Sunil Jakhar as Punjab Congress chief.
