Navjot Kaur Sidhu suspended from Congress over ‘Rs 500 crore for CM post’ claim

Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-cum-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, has been suspended from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect. The action came days after the former MLA made a sensational claim that “a briefcase full of Rs 500 crore” was required to become Chief Minister in the state, something she said her husband could not pay. She also claimed that five CM aspirants in the Congress were pulling down the party.

Though no official reason has been cited in the suspension letter signed by PPCC chief Amarinder Raja Warring, sources said the party had taken a serious view of her utterances that seemed to be taking a dig at Punjab Congress leaders at a time when party leaders were busy with the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.

Her statement had created a stir in Punjab Congress, with senior leaders demanding that the Sidhu couple be shown the door. The suspension was seen as an act of discipline, sending a message to disgruntled leaders who had been taking on the top state leadership in the past.

“A statement by Dr Sidhu had caused a dent to the party at the national level as the BJP and AAP were using it against the Congress,” said a senior party leader.

Dr Sidhu, who had gone to meet Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday over the law and order situation in the state, had stated while talking to reporters that there was infighting in the party but had said her husband would return to active politics if the Congress declared him as the party’s chief ministerial face in Punjab.

After clarifying that a twist was given to her “straight comment” saying that our Congress party has never demanded anything from us, she had earlier in the day, while talking to an electronic channel, claimed that the Tarn Taran party candidate had paid money to the top state leadership.