Last Updated: April 03, 2023, 7:29 PM IST
Navjot Singh Sidhu has been in jain since May 2022. (File Photo)
When Sidhu walked out of the jail neither Warring nor the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, Partap Bajwa were present. Both claimed prior engagements as the reason for not turning up.
A lot has changed in Punjab’s political spectrum in the last ten months, a time that Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu spent behind the bars. The cricketer-turned-politician was serving time for a 1988 road rage case, and was released out of Punjab’s Patiala jail on Saturday evening.
The Supreme Court had imposed a one-year rigorous imprisonment for him. As he came out of his cell, the state Congress was conspicuous of his absence.
On Monday when the former PCC chief met the parents of slain Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, no significant party leader was in town.
There are speculations as to what role he would be assigned once he walked out of the jail. His meeting with some leaders in prison a few months back including former Finance minister Manpreet Badal has only casted more doubts about his position.
And a lot has changed. Apart from Manpreet Badal switching over to the BJP with some of senior Congress leaders, the Congress leadership seems to have settled down with the present lot that is steering the party in the state.
The leadership is going with a much younger Amrinder Singh Raja Warring at the helm, and the roadmap for the party’s 2024 battle in the state has been drawn.
When Sidhu walked out of the jail neither Warring nor the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly, Partap Bajwa were present. Both claimed prior engagements as the reason for not turning up.
In fact, barring some of Sidhu’s few trusted aides in Congress, the top leadership chose to stay away.
“Sidhu’s role as PCC chief came under a cloud because of last year’s assembly results. He courted controversy resulting in confusion among the party workers. The party has done enough confabulations and at present it doesn’t seem he will be assigned any critical role to make people like Warring and Bajwa uncomfortable,’’ a senior leader told News18.
According to sources, instead of his role in state politics, the high command may use Sidhu more for state elections in other states.
“The party high command is planning to engage its firebrand leader against the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly elections. He is a crowd puller and his engagements will essentially be related to campaigning in other states going to polls,’’ a leader said.
Sidhu is expected to meet Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in Delhi in a few days and his role in the grand old party is likely on the agenda.
The party expects Sidhu to be circumspect given that the by poll to the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency is drawing closer. “The party can ill afford any controversy triggered by his statement. And the high command seems to have conveyed that to Sidhu,’’ a leader said.
Sidhu attacked the Centre and the AAP government in Punjab after his release from the jail choosing to avoid any controversial statement.
On the record PPCC chief Raja Warring avoided any controversy stating that he was looking forward to meet Sidhu. “He will be part of the political affairs committee along with other senior leaders,” he said.
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