Navjot Singh Sidhu was apt choice for Punjab CM face: Navjot Kaur Sidhu

GS Paul

Amritsar, February 8

Two days after the Congress announced Charanjit Channi as the CM face, party leader Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu today questioned the move saying her husband and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu was apt for the post, adding party leader Rahul Gandhi has been “misguided”.

Income hit, may practise medicine

We were financially hit after Sidhu quit his entertainment career. In present circumstances, I will have to practise medicine. Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu

Navjot said she never opposed the decision but wanted that “whosoever occupies the CM’s chair, must work with dedication and implement the ‘Punjab model’”.

Before announcing Channi’s name on February 6, Rahul had said “people wanted someone who could understand poverty”. He had said the decision was based on a public survey after taking party MLAs and workers into confidence. Navjot, however, claimed no such criteria was followed by the Congress.

“He (Channi) is very rich. His I-T returns submitted during filing of papers suggests his income is higher than ours,” she claimed, adding as her husband’s income had been affected, she would have to return to her profession to earn a livelihood. “Had Sidhu not given up his career, we would have made Rs 250 crore.”

“Instead of ‘rich’ or ‘poor’, merit, education, honesty, loyalty, intelligence, capacity to work and vision for development should have been the main criteria,” she added.

Canvassing for Sidhu in Amritsar East, which she represented between 2012 and 2017, Navjot said her husband’s ‘Punjab model’ could steer the state out of the crisis within six months. “His model is good,” she said, adding Rahul had been “misled”.

Sidhu, who after the CM face announcement had said it was high command’s prerogative, chose to reserve his comments on the issue or on criticism of Channi in various quarters over his wealth. “I won’t comment. Channi is my younger brother, he knows how to respond,” he said.

He said he used to earn Rs 20-30 crore per annum through motivational talks, commentary and entertainment shows. “Today, I have an income of just Rs 60,000-Rs 70,000 per month. In 1995, I had purchased showrooms in Patiala and the rented income runs the domestic affairs. But we are contented. We have been fighting ‘dharma yudh’ without any expectation in return,” he said.

Asking voters to defeat “mafias”, he said his “Punjab model” was conceptualised for the state and had been handed over to the party. Asked if Channi would implement it, he said: “Let anyone implement it.”

Giving a glimpse of the model, he said: “It recommends fast-track court to deal with sacrilege issues in a time-bound manner. It speaks about generation of jobs, urban employment schemes, women welfare schemes, how to curb mafia.”