Sidhu meets Amarinder, downplays differences

Chandigarh, Dec 12 (IANS) Punjab cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday met Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here and tried to downplay the reported differences between them.This is the first time after his visit to Pakistan for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Karetarpur corridor that Sidhu met the Chief Minister.Sidhu met Amarinder Singh at his official residence where the latter is recuperating after illness.While Sidhu had chosen to go to Pakistan, at the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister and former fellow cricketer Imran Khan, Amarinder Singh declined the invite saying that the Pakistan Army was killing Indian soldiers and conspiring to revive terrorism in Punjab.Sidhu on Wednesday said the controversy over his visit -- and his subsequent remarks about the Chief Minister -- was unnecessarily raked up. "A mountain was made out of a mole hill. I have nothing more to say," Sidhu told the media.Sidhu later clarified that Amarinder Singh was like a "fatherly figure" for him.
--IANS js/mr