However, Chhina, who has the backing of top Punjab BJP leaders, Friday morning joined the new post.

Chhina is the Punjab BJP secretary and had unsuccessfully contested the Amritsar-west assembly seat election in February 2007 assembly polls. Sidhu had accused Chhina of working against him in the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat elections in May this year.

Sidhu managed to win the seat by a small margin of only over 8,000 votes.

The former Indian cricket vice captain, who is a nationally recognized face because of his cricketing exploits and being a commentator and TV show host, was called by the BJP to campaign at over 300 rallies across India, but was ignored by the Punjab BJP.

At a recent meeting of BJP leaders in Jalandhar last month, Sidhu had openly blamed Punjab BJP ministers and leaders for the party's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

Sidhu was first elected from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in May 2004.