No breakthrough in Sidhu's chat over tea with Punjab CM as former denies cabinet offer

The 'chai pe charcha' between Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday ended inconclusively, with the latter refusing to take up cabinet positions offered by the former, as per sources. Sidhu's meeting with CM Amarinder Singh, which was earlier scheduled for a luncheon but was postponed due to PM Modi's meeting with all state CMs, lasted for over 35 minutes. As per reports, CM Amarinder Singh offered to re-induct Sidhu into the cabinet and suggested portfolios including Jail, Power and Agriculture.

However, sources informed that Sidhu not only refused to accept Captain Amarinder Singh's offer but also did not raise his demand during the meeting at CM's Siswan farmhouse. The inconclusive chat over tea for Sidhu and CM Amarinder Singh once again turned out to be inconclusive with the deadlock between the two leaders continuing. Sidhu had met CM Amarinder Singh over lunch in November last year for 'simple talk' without 'making plans for Punjab, India or the world'. 

'Made huge sacrifices': Sidhu's wife

Prior to Sidhu's meeting with Captain Amarinder Singh, the former's wife Navjot Kaur had claimed that her husband had worked for the welfare of the people & the state and that he had no interest in 'position'. Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu had said, "Whatever will be discussed in today's meeting, the decision Navjot will take completely depends on him. He since the very beginning has always made huge sacrifices for the state and its people. Therefore, if he thinks that he will be able to contribute to the welfare of the state, he will accept the position and if he thinks he cannot work for the state's welfare then he has no interest in the position in the Punjab government."

Navjot Singh Sidhu vs Captain Amarinder Singh

Sidhu and Singh have not been on the best of terms since May 2019 when the CM accused the former cricketer of the "inept handling" of the Local Government Department, claiming it resulted in "poor performance" of the Congress in urban areas during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Sidhu was stripped of key portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle, after which he resigned from the state cabinet and stayed away from all Congress activities. The Congress high command is reportedly interested in making Sidhu the state chief, however, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh is offering him a cabinet position of his choice, as per sources. 

Earlier in February, Sidhu had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi and it was learned that they discussed considering an active role for him in the party, news agency PTI quoting its sources said. It was speculated that the former cricketer, who has remained away from Punjab politics ever since he resigned from the state cabinet, is reconsidering taking up a ministerial berth. Sidhu is also known to have lashed out at Captain Amarinder Singh in the past, referring to him as 'Kaun sa Captain; Rahul Gandhi is my captain'. However, the Punjab CM appears to be preparing to defend his seat in next year's elections. He's appointed IPAC chief and poll strategist Prashant Kishor as his special advisor at the rank of a cabinet minister, even as his principal rival SAD's chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has already declared the seat from which he'll contest the Punjab elections which the Congress had won comfortably in 2017.