Navjot Singh Sidhu to take charge as Punjab Congress chief on July 23

Chandigarh, July 21: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is all set to take charge as the party's Punjab unit president on July 23. Sidhu has sent an invitation signed by around 65 MLAs to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh. Sidhu has also invited AICC in-charge of Punjab, Harish Rawat to the programme, according to reports.

In what is seen as a show of strength, nearly 60 Congress MLAs gathered at the residence of new state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu here on Wednesday, amid a suspense over a possible truce between him and CM Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu and Amarinder Singh has been at loggerheads for the past some time, with the Amritsar (East) MLA recently attacking the CM over the desecration cases.

The chief minister was also averse to his appointment as the state Congress chief. After Sidhu's elevation, the CM had said that he won't meet him until the cricketer-turned-politician apologises for his "derogatory" tweets against him.

On Wednesday, the MLAs joined by Sidhu boarded luxury buses and went to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, where a large number of Congress supporters gathered.

Sidhu and the legislators are also scheduled to visit the Durgiana temple and the Ram Tirath Sthal here.

Sidhu, a former MP from Amritsar, had switched over from the BJP to the Congress ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls.

On Tuesday, the Punjab chief minister's media adviser had trashed media reports that Sidhu had sought time to meet Amarinder Singh.

The media adviser also said there was no change in stance, asserting that Amarinder will not meet Sidhu till he publicly tenders an apology for his derogatory tweets against him.

However, Jalalpur said there was no need for Sidhu to apologise, saying he is now the president of the state Congress.

Why should he apologise. It is right that he should respect and he respects the chief minister but for what should he apologise, asked Jalalpur.

There has been no reaction from the CM over Sidhu's elevation as the state Congress chief.

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 Amarinder Singh.

Before going to Amritsar, Sidhu had been calling on ministers and legislators in Chandigarh to mobilise support in the past few days.

Sidhu had already met several ministers and MLAs.

After taking over as the state unit chief of the Congress, Sidhu had talked about the Punjab model, saying it will make the state prosperous again.

An 18-point programme given by the Congress high command will make every Punjabi a shareholder and the power given by the people be returned in the shape of development, he had said.