Cong-Sidhu saga: All about who blinks first

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 22

There was a time when the Congress was keen on having former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu on board and PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh had invited him to join the party. That’s not the case anymore.

The Congress’ stance on Sidhu is different today from what it was two months ago when Amarinder was willing to offer the cricketer-turned-politician his own Lok Sabha seat (Amritsar), besides accommodating his wife from a winnable seat for the 2017 Assembly poll. Today, the party wants Sidhu to join unconditionally.

A section of top party leaders feel Sidhu missed his political high point first by showing indecisiveness about whether to join AAP or the Congress and then by challenging the authority of the leader who invited him to join the Congress.

Amarinder was naturally shocked by Awaaz-e-Punjab’s “without Capt” condition for joining the Congress, considering that the party’s election campaign in the state revolves around him.

No wonder the Congress hardened its line on Sidhu and abandoned all visible efforts to woo him. Part of this strategic shift was rooted in the belief that Sidhu had run out of political options in Punjab.

“Sidhu’s talks with AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal have failed; he has quit the BJP and is on the warpath with the Akalis. If he has to stay politically relevant in the state, he has only one option left — the Congress. But he continues to play a game of oneupmanship when he has no party, no organisation and no supporters,” a senior Congress leader said.

Non-organisational players in action?

Chandigarh: As part of its poll strategy, the Congress has fielded non-organisational players for talks with Navjot Singh Sidhu’s outfit, said sources. Capt Amarinder Singh and Asha Kumari have repeatedly said the party has not held talks with Awaaz-e-Punjab. A couple of senior state leaders are batting for Sidhu. “Every seat counts for the Congress. He should be inducted in the party interests,” said Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa. Another former PPCC chief, Shamsher Singh Dullo, is also keen on Sidhu’s entry. TNS

Talks must be with right people: Asha 

Party’s Punjab incharge Asha Kumari says, “The Congress is a huge party with several leaders. People can talk to any leader but unless they talk to the right people, it doesn’t take anyone anywhere.”