Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 23
All MLAs from Ludhiana district attended the installation ceremony of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the new chief of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. The absence of MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, however, was conspicuous.
Differences between MLA West Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Sidhu are known to everyone and both have been at loggerheads in the past but Ashu marked his presence at today’s function.
Bittu’s close aide said since the monsoon session of Parliament was going on, Bittu was in Delhi attending the same and hence, could not make it to the ceremony.
In the evening, Sidhu came to the DMCH to enquire about the health of an injured Congress worker. None of the Congress leader was present on the occasion.
He was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Sukhbir Singh Sarkaria and few MLAs but the local Cabinet Minister, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and the MLAs remained absent.
“His plan was to directly go to Moga to meet families of the deceased and injured but on the way he came to know that one worker was admitted at Ludhiana so he stopped here before heading to Moga. I am still on my way back from Chandigarh after attending the ceremony,” said a senior Congress leader, who was also unaware of Sidhu’s presence in Ludhiana.
Earlier on July 19, Sidhu came to Khanna and met MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli and Lakhvir Singh Lakha and went straight to Jalandhar and did not stop at Ludhiana.
Sidhu had visited Jalandhar, Nawanshahr and Amritsar to meet party leaders and party workers before formally taking charge as PPCC chief but did not visit Ludhiana once for meet and greet.
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