Navjot Singh Sidhu meets Rahul, Priyanka; says his ‘commitment for Punjab’ will not flinch

Met my Mentor Rahul ji and Friend, Philosopher, Guide Priyanka ji in New Delhi Today.

You can Jail me , Intimidate me, Block all my financial accounts but My commitment for Punjab and My Leaders will neither flinch nor back an inch !! pic.twitter.com/9EiRwE5AnP

— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 6, 2023

The meeting took place at Priyanka’s residence in New Delhi, lasted for around an hour, a party leader said.

“Sidhu first met Priyanka for half an hour before Rahul Gandhi also came over and the meeting continued for another hour,” the leader said, adding, “Apart from general discussions, Sidhu was all praise for party leaders who waited throughout the day on April 1 to accord him a welcome as he came out from the jail.”

With Sidhu hitting the ground running after coming out of jail and choosing not to attend any official programme of the Punjab Congress so far, the state Congress yet again stares at factionalism.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Congress MP from Ludhiana Ravneet Singh Bittu said that former CMs Captain Amarinder Singh (who is now with BJP) and Charanjit Singh Channi and senior party leader Navjot Sidhu had caused a “huge damage to the party”.

Responding to a query from a news channel in Delhi, Bittu said, “Though it would be the party high command’s decision, it was unlikely that Congress would appoint Channi and Sidhu on any party post.” When contacted, Bittu told The Indian Express, “There is a new team (of Punjab Congress) which is working. The performance of the new team would be for everyone to see after the Lok Sabha elections. Party workers have seen the damage done to the party due to infighting earlier and they don’t want such leaders to come back.”

Bittu added, “I don’t have anything personal against Navjot Sidhu. They (Sidhu and Channi) are very senior in the party and were given prominent positions but people have already seen their performances during the 2022 Punjab elections including that of Captain’s (who has joined BJP now). The performance of the new team will now be seen in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Some leaders think that parties are due to them and they are not due to parties. No party is run by an individual. Many leaders came and went and many will come and go. The party is run by the workers.”

Following the poll debacle last year, Sidhu had to quit as Punjab Congress chief after being asked by Sonia Gandhi. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had replaced him.