New Delhi/Amritsar, July 17 - Speculation was rife Friday that cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu had resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and as MP, apparently peeved over the party promoting his rival. BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley said the matter would be sorted out.

The sudden 'resignation' move by Sidhu came just hours after Punjab BJP leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina assumed office as chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust. The trust looks after development projects in the city and has an annual budget running into millions of rupees.

BJP sources said that Sidhu had sent his resignation to senior BJP leader L.K. Advani and a copy to senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley. The sources added that the 'resignation' had not been sent to the Lok Sabha speaker as yet.

Jaitley told NDTV news channel that it was 'an internal party matter and would be sorted out within a few hours'.

Sidhu could not be reached as he did not pick up his mobile throughout the day. He is presently in New Delhi.

Sidhu had opposed Chhina's appointment to the public office and the BJP leadership had put his assuming the office on hold till the matter was sorted out.