After a long wait, the Congress high command has finally announced the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the new President of Punjab Congress. Four working presidents have also been made with him, in which geographical and social equations have been taken care of.
Sidhu, who has met about 50 MLAs in the last two days, after the announcement of his name, went to the gurudwara and the temple and offered prayers. This responsibility is a crown of thorns for Sidhu as many senior Punjab Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, are unhappy with his appointment. Sidhu not only has to prepare for the elections to be held after six months, but the Captain camp also has to do spiritual practice.
The new state president Navjot Singh Sidhu is a Jat Sikh and his identity is in the whole of Punjab. He is from Patiala and has been winning elections from Amritsar. In his career so far in cricket, TV and politics, Sidhu is very popular due to his attitude, guess statements and speeches. In Punjab, his image is that of an honest and a militant leader fighting the battle against the Badal family. He has the confidence of the Gandhi family, especially Priyanka Gandhi, that is why Sidhu has been made the state president despite having only four and a half years in the Congress and the displeasure of Captain Amarinder Singh. There is popularity with Sidhu but not the team. Their path is full of challenges.
On the other hand, OBC Sikh and three-time MLA Sangat Singh Giljian, Jat Sikh and two-time MLA Kuljit Nagra, Dalit Sikh and first-time MLA youth Sukhwinder Singh Danny and state general secretary Pawan Goyal from Hindu Samaj have got the place as working president. . Nagra and Goyal are from Malwa area, Danny Majha and Giljian belong to Doaba area. According to experts, the four working presidents are Rahul Gandhi’s choice. No one can be said to be close to the captain or Sidhu.
Sidhu, who came into politics from cricket, joined the Congress just before the last assembly elections after playing a long innings in the BJP. He was also made a minister in the Captain’s government, but after two years, he resigned due to change in the department. In the last few months, he opened a front against Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and openly accused him of collusion with the rival Badal family. Many ministers and MLAs, including Sidhu, started speaking against Captain after the SIT’s report was rejected in the High Court, especially in the Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege case during the Badal government.