Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu (L) and Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh (R)
Following years and months of bitter dual with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as Chief Minister and raised serious questions against Sidhu alleging he was incompetent, has connections with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Army Chief and will be a disaster for the state.
The fued between Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu has been going on and on for two years and were never warm.
Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the Congress a few months ahead of the 2017 polls after quitting the BJP. Speculation was rife that he would be given the post of deputy chief minister, but he was made a Cabinet Minister.
Navjot Singh Sidhu didn't listen to Amarinder Singh to reconsider Pakistan visit in 2018
Back in 2018, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he had asked his Cabinet colleague (Sidhu) to reconsider his decision to visit Pakistan for inauguration of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.
“Sidhu told me he had already committed himself to going. When I informed him of the stand I had taken on the issue, he said it was his personal visit but he would get back to me. But I did not hear from him,” Amarinder had said then. | READ MORE
Sidhu's fight against Captain for preferred porfolio in Punjab govt
Just two years after the Congress came to power, Sidhu was stripped off key portfolios in the cabinet reshuffle in June 2019 and he then resigned from the state cabinet.
Singh had divested Sidhu of the local government and tourism and cultural affairs departments and allotted him the power and new and renewable energy portfolio though the latter never assumed charge of his new department.
Sidhu approached Rahul Gandhi when tension with Amarinder came out in open
Shortly afterwards, Sidhu had approached the then Congress president Rahul Gandhi and "apprised him of the situation". The tension between Singh and Sidhu came out in the open.
Rahul Gandhi is my 'captain': When Sidhu aimed jibe at Amarinder
While Singh blamed him for the "inept handling" of the local government department, claiming that it resulted in "poor performance" of the Congress in urban areas in the (2019) Lok Sabha polls, the former cricketer, on the other hand said "(Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi is my captain... Rahul Gandhi is the captain of the captain (Singh) also."
ALSO READ | 'Whosoever Congress wants': Captain Amarinder Singh on who will replace him as Punjab CM
Sidhu started questioning Captain's leadership
Amid cold war with Punjab CM, not once but Navjot Singh Sidhu tried several times approaching the Congress top leadership in Delhi.
Sidhu, who considered Rahul Gandhi as his 'captain', met him in Delhi and apprised about the situation in Punjab Congress.
ALSO READ | 'Humiliated' Captain Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab CM, along with his council of ministers
When Sidhu was made Punjab Congress president
Just a couple of months ago, things became worse and finally, Navjot Singh Sidhu was appointed state Congress president, notwithstanding strong opposition from Singh.
Sidhu's recent attack at Amarinder Singh over farm laws
Firing a fresh salvo, Congress' Punjab chief Navjot Singh Sidhu again targeted Amarinder Singh over the farmer's issue. In a video shared on Facebook, Sidhu had threatened Captain to repeal the controversial farm laws.
Sidhu challenged Amarinder Singh to scrap the three farm laws otherwise it will be done by the Congress MLAs. "It (farm laws) will certainly be scrapped. If you (CM Amarinder Singh) won't do it, the MLAs will," Sidhu was heard saying in the video. | READ MORE
ALSO READ | Captain Amarinder Singh quits as Chief Minister. What next for Punjab Congress?
When Sidhu said Punjab needed strong, stern leadership
Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu in July met Captain Amarinder Singh. The meeting between the two leaders was seen as a signal of a truce in the dissension-driven party months ahead of the next year's Assembly polls.
Sidhu handed over a letter to then CM Amarinder Singh urging him to take immediate action over five key issues. "Today, Punjab need a stern, decisive, inclusive and compassionate leadership more than ever before to fulfil genuine demands of every Punjabi," the letter stated. | READ MORE
When Amarinder warned Sidhu's adivsors
In August, Captain Amarinder Singh warned two of Navjot Sidhu's advisors against atrocious & ill-conceived comments on issues like Kashmir and Pakistan. He said that these comments were "potentially dangerous to the peace and stability of the state and the country". Later, his advisors were suspended by the party. | READ MORE
Sidhu's comment '...eent se eent baja dunga' took war with Amarinder Singh to next level
Last month in August, Sidhu during an event in Amritsar said that he has told the party high command in Delhi that if he is not allowed to take decisions, 'he won't spare anyone'. "Eent se eent baja dunga," Sidhu was heard saying in a video.
And now on to this day (September 18) when Captain Amarinder Singh finally resigned as Chief Minister leading to political situation changing minute-by-minute in Punjab, the Congress is now facing even a more deeper crisis, especially after the former Chief Minister raising some serious questions against Navjot Singh Sidhu exposing his relations with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, their army chief, clearly stating that he will not support Sidhu's name for next CM since it would be disaster. | READ MORE
ALSO READ | 'Incompetent, has connections with Pak PM Imran, army chief': Amarinder goes all out against Sidhu
ALSO READ | Punjab Congress crisis deepens as Captain Amarinder Singh, fumes at Navjot Singh Sidhu | Highlights
