Navjot Singh Sidhu, former flamboyant Test opener and Congress leader has always been the stormy petrel of Punjab politics. He was at one point regarded as the future Chief Minister of the State and was instrumental in the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh from his position, much before his tenure ended. After serving time in jail for an old incident, he is back in active politics. The erstwhile cricketer continues to bat on a turning pitch and has apparently rubbed many of his colleagues the wrong way, by what are being described as unnecessary statements on important issues..
Sidhu is known to deviate from the party stand, and this habit is not new. Even during the Captain’s time, he would say things that would acutely embarrass the High Command and the leadership. After Charanjit Singh Channi succeeded the Captain as the CM, and Sidhu who was hopeful that he would get the post, was overlooked, he had made comments that contributed to the dismal performance of the Congress in the State Assembly elections. In fact, Sidhu and Sunil Jakhar, who considered himself to be the Captain’s replacement, said many things which should not have been spoken off in public domain. The consequences were grave and the Aam Admi Party was easily able to wrest the government. Jakhar has joined the BJP and is its State unit chief. Sidhu on the other hand, after spending time in jail is struggling to make himself relevant again.
There is no doubt that he was a youth icon in Punjab and had a sizable following. However, after his drubbing in the polls, he has lost some of his charisma, and is viewed by opponents and admirers, as someone whose best years are behind him. However, in politics, no one can ever be written off, but looking at the current affairs in Punjab and his party, it is unlikely that he would ever be able to reach his earlier popularity in the near future. He may have been successful in ending the Captain’s reign, but he himself did not benefit from this exercise. In Punjabi there is a old saying , “Padosi di kand tut jaye, chahe hi sadi majh mar jaye’’ (the wall of the neighbours house should be demolished even if means that in the process, our own buffalo tied on the other side also dies).
Punjabis are strange people and have strange methods that are often reflected in the colloquial narrative. Sidhu has always been known for his ready wit and repartee but for some reason, his public utterances have not gone down well with the State leadership. Knowing fully well that Sidhu has enjoyed the patronage of the Gandhis, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, the current Punjab PCC president, is not amused with his antics. He has warned his party men that they should refrain from saying things publicly, unless they are consistent with the official stand.
Although Sidhu was recently included in the State Election Committee, it is virtually certain that his days in the Congress could be numbered, unless he takes corrective measures and falls in line. This is something which would be difficult for him, even though it may be in his interest to keep his head down and play out the overs without incurring any further loss. Sidhu must be realizing that after breaking away from the BJP, he cannot go back. His terms with AAP have never been cordial and his relationship with the Akalis, to make an understatement is bordering on hostility. Therefore, if he has to leave the Congress, or is expelled from it, he would virtually have nowhere to go. His innings would come to an end, notwithstanding his ability to remain in the news.
The Congress is making efforts to revive itself in the state, and is hoping to perform reasonably well in the Parliamentary elections, given that it had won eight Lok Sabha seats the last time. The Hindu vote in Punjab is divided and the Congress can get the lion’s share if it has a proper strategy put out in place. Besides Manish Tewari, who is the sitting MP from Anandpur Saheb and is likely to seek re-election from there, the party has some good non-Sikh leaders such as Amit Vij, former MLA from Pathankot, who had lost by barely 3500 votes in the Assembly polls but continues to be popular. He could be a good option from Gurdaspur. Similarly, Mohit Mohindra, son of veteran Congress leader and former Minister Brahm Mohindra, is an upcoming name. Vijay Singhla is another.
Moreover, the presence of Ambika Soni, former Union Minister and PCC Chief from Punjab, is an encouraging factor for the party. The thing is that the Congress has to come with a cohesive face and if it is seen fragmented, it may have consequences in the Lok Sabha polls which would be similar to what happened in the Assembly elections. Sidhu and anyone else, who wishes to rock the boat should be spoken to by the central leadership and told to conduct their affairs in accordance with the party’s stand. Otherwise, Raja Warring, Pratap Bajwa, the leader of Opposition in the Assembly and others, would prefer to exclude him from the Congress narrative in Punjab. The knives are out for Sidhu and he should see the writing on the wall.
Pankaj Vohra