Amritsar (TIP) : Newly appointed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu met several lawmakers, ministers and leaders on Wednesday, July 21, in a significant show of strength by the cricketer-turned-politician who is locked in a bitter conflict with chief minister Amarinder Singh over control of the party.

The leaders, including four cabinet ministers, Sidhu’s predecessor Sunil Jakhar, and other senior functionaries, gathered at Sidhu’s residence in Amritsar, before travelling to the Golden Temple and other shrines. Visuals showed large crowds with no masks or distancing at the Sikh holy shrine, with Sidhu surrounded by other leaders. They paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Akal Takht amid a heavy rush of devotees. The leaders also offered prayers at two prominent local Hindu shrines, Durgiana Temple and Ram Tirath Temple.

Sidhu’s camp claimed that at least 62 of the Congress’s 80 MLAs attended the visit but state intelligence agencies put the number closer to 42. The state goes to the polls in early 2022.

Sidhu avoided the media but minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, “We have not counted how many MLAs have turned up today, nor was it a show of strength. All have come to pay obeisance at Sri Darbar Sahib which is not a place of holding such show.”

The development came a day after Singh’s aides said the chief minister won’t meet Sidhu until the latter apologised for his public attacks during the past month. On Wednesday, Sidhu’s associates made it clear that the former minister wasn’t going to budge.

“After all he is president of the Pradesh Congress now. Apology for what? People are with Sidhu,” said Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur.

Three former Aam Aadmi Party legislators who joined the Congress in Singh’s presence last month, and four newly appointed working presidents — Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Kuljit Singh Nagra, Pawan Goel and Sangat Singh Gilzian – also attended the event.

Sidhu was named the state unit chief on Sunday as part of a revamp plan that involved appointing four working presidents from different communities, overriding strong objections by Singh. An upset Singh has not publicly commented on the appointment nor met Sidhu since, indicating that the acrimonious factionalism that roiled the party since May remains unresolved.