Amarinder Singh meets Home Minister Amit Shah at his house in Delhi (File)
Punjab's former Chief Minister and Congress veteran Amarinder Singh is at the residence of the BJP's Amit Shah, amid speculation about his joining the party days after he stepped down from the top post in the state. Mr Singh had refused to answer questions about joining BJP -- but while resigning as the Chief Minister earlier this month, had spoken of exploring options.
Earlier in the day, Navjot Singh Sidhu has resigned as Punjab Congress chief, delivering a big shock to the Gandhis, who may have hoped that changing Chief Ministers would help end the turmoil in the state before elections early next year.
In a video message tweeted this morning, a day after his shock resignation as Punjab Congress Chief, Mr Sidhu said that he will not compromise on ethics and would "fight for truth until my last breath."
"My fight is issue-based and I have stood by it for a long time. I cannot compromise with my ethics, my moral authority. What I witness is a compromise with issues, agenda in Punjab. I cannot misguide the high command nor can I let them be misguided," Mr Sidhu said in Punjabi.
The cricketer-turned-politician tweeted a resignation letter that hinted at his unhappiness at the ongoing changes to the Punjab cabinet. "The collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress," Navjot Sidhu, 57, wrote in his letter to Sonia Gandhi, which he posted on social media. He had taken charge of the party in Punjab in July.
Navjot Sidhu, say sources, was also unhappy about his rival SS Randhawa being assigned a key ministry. The double use of the word "compromise" in Mr Sidhu's resignation letter was read as a clue that he was asked to accept some unpleasant choices in the cabinet shuffle.
Here are the Highlights on Punjab Congress Crisis:
With ''Get Well Soon'' placards, Cong workers protest outside Kapil Sibal's house
Hours after he raised questions over the functioning of the Congress, senior party leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday came under attacks from several quarters with party workers also protesting outside his house.
In the wake of several Congress leaders quitting the party and its Punjab unit in turmoil, Mr Sibal demanded that an immediate meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) be convened and wondered who in the party was taking decisions in the absence of a full-time president.
Mr Sibal, a member of the ''Group of 23'' which last year had written to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, said at a press conference that the grouping is "not a Jee Huzur 23" and will continue to put forth the views and will continue to repeat the demands.
Carrying ''Get Well Soon'' placards and raising slogans against Mr Sibal, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) workers protested outside his house, saying they were "hurt" by his remarks.
"The workers went there on their own accord as they felt hurt by Sibal's remarks. They just expressed their disappointment over the remarks," a senior DPCC functionary said on condition of anonymity.
Kapil Sibal's Car Damaged 
Charanjit Channi is a good man: Manish Tewari
Charanjit Channi is a good man. He is the Chief Minister but concurrently also my MLA. We have worked very closely. I have always found him a grounded person. These attempts at creating pol instability show kind of resentment. He is a good man, he should be given a fair chance.
I am extremely anguished and distressed the way the things have panned out - Manish Tewari on question if Navjot Singh Sidhu is stable to NDTV
- The stability of Congress party is very essential for the idea of India. People are looking for alternative and it is imperative that we measure up to the people's expectation
- G-23 is a figment of imagination of media. You must understand the whole thing is not about numerical but it's about an idea
- There are people in AICC who have specific responsibilities. When Asha Kumari was in-charge, there was stability, we are seeing this stability since the May of 2020.
On Tuesday Amarinder Singh's media advisor Raveen Thukral had said, "too much being read into Captain Amarinder's visit to Delhi".
"He is on a personal visit, during which he'll meet some friends and vacate Kapurthala House (the Punjab Chief Minister's residence in the national capital)... No need for unnecessary speculation," he had added.
Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation a challenge to Congress high command, says party MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla
Amritsar Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Wednesday claimed that the former Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu has given a challenge to the party high command by his resignation.
Mr Aujla said, "Navjot Singh Sidhu resignation is a challenge to the party high command because most of his demands were being fulfilled by the party."
"Most of the things happened as per his demands, but this is very upsetting that Sidhu has resigned when the party has given him such a big responsibility. He should have carried it on," he added further.
He also said that Sidhu should have discussed with the senior leaders like Bajwa, Dulloh and others if something went wrong in the party. "He also could have spoken to the state chief minister or any other senior leaders of the Congress party. I don't think that Channi would ever refuse his advice," Mr Aujla said.
Amritsar Congress MP also said that the party high command gave him chance to become the Punjab Congress Chief (PCC), so he should not have resigned like this.
"Before resigning from the position, Sidhu should have discussed it with the senior leaders of the party," he said.
All India Congress Committee Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat closely following developments in state: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday said AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Rawat is closely following the political developments in the state and is in the best position to comment on the matter.
Plunging the Congress into a fresh crisis months ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, Navjot Singh Sidhu quit as the party's state unit chief on Tuesday, shortly after the allocation of portfolios among the members of the new state cabinet led by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Asked about the dramatic developments in Punjab, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Rawat is closely monitoring the situation and is completely aware of all the happenings which she may not be and therefore, she would not like to comment on it.
Ms Shrinate told reporters that since Rawat is the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Punjab, he is in the best position to answer queries on developments in the party's state unit and should be contacted for comments.
However, Mr Rawat could not be reached for a comment.
Punjab Chief Minister Dials Navjot Sidhu, Says "Let's Talk" New Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi today said he has spoken to Navjot Sidhu, who stepped down from the party's top post recently, suggesting that they talk out the issues on which he has objections. "Nothing has been done intentionally. If anybody has objection on any appointment, then i am not rigid on that... I don't have ego tussles... I told him party is supreme, let's talk," Mr Channi told reporters today.
Likely Reasons That Triggered Navjot Sidhu's Shock Resignation
Navjot Singh Sidhu was reportedly upset at Rana Gurjit Singh being included in the cabinet again. Mr Singh has been accused of a role in a sand mining scam and quit the Amarinder Singh cabinet in 2018. He was later cleared by an inquiry panel.
Likely Reasons That Triggered Navjot Sidhu's Shock ResignationOP Soni's appointment as the second Deputy Chief Minister to Charanjit Singh Channi was believed to be a sore point.
Likely Reasons That Triggered Navjot Sidhu's Shock Resignation
Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation as Punjab Congress Chief has plunged the party into a deep crisis just four months before polls. Mr Sidhu was believed to be upset about the key home ministry being assigned to Deputy Chief Minister SS Randhawa, his rival. He had earlier strongly opposed any talk of elevating Mr Randhawa as Chief Minister following Amarinder Singh's resignation.
Navjot Sidhu, In Video, Says "Will Fight For Truth Till Last Breath"
Navjot Sidhu Resignation: How Twitter Reacted To Navjot Sidhu's Shocker, Netflix, Make Web SeriesNavjot Singh Sidhu remained the top trend on Twitter on Tuesday after his shock move of resigning as the Punjab Congress chief. The cricketer-turned-politician announced his resignation on his Twitter account where he also stated that he would remain in the Congress. After the news broke, even as social media users came up with one-lines and memes to express their surprise, many criticised the Congress leadership.
What Manish Tiwari Said On Punjab Congress Crisis
Punjab Congress Crisis: Amarinder Singh 1996 England Tour Dig At Navjot Singh Sidhu, His Real CharacterAmarinder Singh, after delivering a "told-you-so" barb at the Gandhis on rival Navjot Singh Sidhu's shock resignation as Punjab Congress chief, stacked up more digs at the cricketer-turned-politician. Navjot Sidhu's resignation within two months of taking over the vital post was "sheer drama" and suggests that he is preparing to quit the Congress and join hands with another party ahead of polls early next year, the former Punjab Chief Minister said on Tuesday.
Earlier, he had tweeted: "I told you so...he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab."
Navjot Singh Sidhu Quits As Punjab Congress President, Congress Insists All Will Be Well: 10 PointsNavjot Singh Sidhu has resigned as Punjab Congress chief, delivering a big shock to the Gandhis, who may have hoped that changing Chief Ministers would help end the turmoil in the state before elections early next year. The cricketer-turned-politician tweeted a resignation letter that hinted at his unhappiness at the ongoing changes to the Punjab cabinet. "The collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress," Navjot Sidhu, 57, wrote in his letter to Sonia Gandhi, which he posted on social media. He had taken charge of the party in Punjab in July.
"Misguided Missile": Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Badal On Navjot Singh SidhuTaking a swipe at Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu who resigned from his post, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said the former is a "misguided missile" that does not know its destination.
"I had earlier said that Navjot Singh Sidhu is a misguided missile that does not know where it will go or will kill whom. He first destroyed Captain Amarinder Singh by becoming Punjab Congress president. Then, wiped out his party," Mr Badal told mediapersons.
Taking a dig at Mr Sidhu, the SAD leader said that the former should go to Mumbai in order to save Punjab.
"New Punjab Government Should Have Been Careful": Navjot Sidhu's AdvisorChief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's new government ought to have been more careful in taking decisions and not precipitated the crisis in the Punjab Congress, according to an advisor to Navjot Singh Sidhu, the state party unit chief who resigned on Tuesday.
Dubbing Congress leader Amarinder Singh's allegation that Mr Sidhu may move to another party speculation, the cricketer-turned-politician's advisor Surinder Dalla told NDTV that the former Chief Minister "must have been confused" while making the comment.
"Mr Sidhu's fight is one of principles," Mr Dalla said. "People should understand that for any political party or elected representative, the prime issue is the issue of one's own state."