E-Paper
Sidhu bonds with Capt Amarinder Singh over tea before taking charge
Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had invited all Congress MLAs and MPs for tea at Punjab Bhawan before the PPCC installation ceremony in Chandigarh
Prefer HTon Google
Putting up a united show after months of bitter exchanges over social media, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his bête noire Navjot Singh Sidhu interacted warmly and bonded over breakfast at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh on Friday morning.
Capt Amarinder Singh had invited all Punjab Congress MLAs and MPs for tea at Punjab Bhawan at 10am, an hour before the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee new team, led by Sidhu takes charge.
Also read: 3 Congress workers headed for Sidhu’s coronation killed in bus accident
The CM’s invite came on Thursday afternoon soon after Sidhu reached out to a miffed Capt Amarinder Singh through two working presidents Kuljit Singh Nagra and Sangat Singh Gilzian.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat kept a close watch as Capt Amarinder Singh and Sidhu broke the ice and seemingly buried the hatchet.
The masks were off as Sidhu, in his trademark maroon Pathani suit with a coordinated scarf, chatted cordially with Capt Amarinder Singh, attired in his simple, white kurta-churidar set as Rawat looked on but chose to keep his mask on.
Sidhu’s usual flamboyance was muted as he greeted the chief minister with folded hands longer than usual till Rawat led them both to the table for breakfast and tea.
It may be recalled that Capt Amarinder Singh had said that he will not meet Sidhu “till he publicly apologises for his personally derogatory social media attacks against him”.
Sidhu left the venue for a few minutes and returned with outgoing Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar.
Though Sidhu had reached Punjab Bhawan in Sector 2, Chandigarh, much before the chief minister arrived, he was in his room doing “ardas (praying)” and joined the CM when he received the message of his arrival.
The two were together for more than half an hour before Sidhu left for the Punjab Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 in Chandigarh for the installation ceremony followed by the chief minister and other MLAs, who were all ears and smiles as their leaders interacted warmly.
