Disgruntled MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu rejected Captain Amarinder Singh’s offer of a ministerial berth as he is adamant on being appointed as the Punjab Congress chief, Republic cited sources.

On the other hand, CM had also cleared that he will not accept Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab Congress chief, leading to a stalemate, with the Amritsar East MLA demanding Pradesh Congress Presidency and nothing less.

This comes after sources reported that the Punjab CM had offered to re-induct Sidhu into his Cabinet to resolve the impending crisis within the Congress faction in Punjab.

Sources have informed that Navjot Singh Sidhu has relayed his demand to his followers across the state. Sidhu has demanded the post keeping an eye on the upcoming elections 2022.

While the Congress High Command has maintained that Captain Amarinder Singh will remain the party's CM face in the elections. Congress has always credited Captain Amarinder for having spearheaded his own win in the 2017 Punjab elections.

Earlier, Sidhu held a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the national capital.

On Wednesday, he held a 'long meeting' with Priyanka Vadra following which he arrived at Rahul Gandhi's residence, just a day after being left out of the former Congress chief's 'schedule'.

While Sidhu held meetings with the Gandhis, Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday invited party's senior leaders from urban areas to his residence in Chandigarh for lunch.

At the meeting, Captain Amarinder Singh laid down the groundwork for the Punjab 2022 polls and discussed the party's strategy to secure a second consecutive win.

Gurjeet S Aujla who was present in the meeting said that the preparation for polls has begun and that the meeting at CM’s residence was neither ‘lunch diplomacy’ nor a ‘show of strength’. “We’ve begun preparations for 2022 Assembly elections…Captain sahib & Sidhu ji are our big leaders. Captain sahib is leading is us, and is capable of it. Today’s meeting was neither lunch diplomacy nor a show of strength, it was a meeting of CM with party leaders,” Aujla told ANI.

Image Source: Republic