Senior Congress member and former chief of India's north-western state Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, has unleashed a barrage of abuse against the state's Congress leader, Navjot Singh Sidhu, who quit his post on Tuesday only two months after taking charge.
This is the latest move in a battle of one-upmanship in poll-bound Punjab between Sidhu and Singh who had to step down about 10 days ago to be succeeded by Charanjit Singh Channi.
Sidhu's resignation, which he sent in a letter to Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and in which he said "he could never compromise in Punjab's future", came unexpectedly, taking all by surprise in Punjab's political circles.
Only a week ago he said he warmly supported the party's new choice as state chief, Channi. In his resignation letter he added that he would continue to serve Congress.
Sidhu's resignation came minutes before Channi addressed a press conference in the state capital, Chandigarh, to express his support for the protesting farmers who are campaigning against three new controversial agriculture laws.
Responding to a query from Sputnik, Channi said: "I am not aware of his quitting. He is a senior leader and we will work out whatever issues he might have. I am sure we will reach a middle path."
The unceasing strife within Congress has been ridiculed by Opposition parties that have termed Sidhu's resignation as a "cruel joke with people of the state".
Shortly after Sidhu's resignation, Raghav Chadha, a politician from opposition Aam Aadmi Party, claimed via a video link, that only his party could bring stability to Punjab and urged people to support them in the legislative assembly elections scheduled for early next year.