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Tag: Navjot Singh Sidhu

  • Punjab: AICC incharge Harish Chaudhary seeks disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Incharge for Punjab affairs at the AICC Harish Chaudhary has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, seeking disciplinary action against former state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu for trying to “portray himself above the party”.

    In the letter dated April 23, which surfaced on Monday, Chaudhary also forwarded a detailed note of Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring regarding Sidhu’s “current activities”.

    Chaudhary noted in the letter that Sidhu relentlessly criticised the previous Congress government despite being asked not to do so.

    “Ma’am president, Shri Sidhu cannot be allowed to portray himself above the party and to set an example for others to breach the party discipline,” he said.

    “It is, therefore, recommended that an explanation must be sought from Shri Sidhu as to why a disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against,” wrote Chaudhary.

    Chaudhary said having been the incharge of the party affairs in Punjab from November until now, he has observed that Sidhu “continuously criticised the functioning of the Congress government terming it corrupt and hand in glove with the Shiromani Akali Dal”.

    “As the party was fighting the elections, it was inappropriate for Sidhu to set such a precedent.

    In spite of my repeated advice to Shri Sidhu to avoid such activities, he continued to speak against the government relentlessly,” wrote Chaudhary.

    Chaudhary also cited an incident on the installation ceremony of Warring as the Punjab Congress chief in which Sidhu came to the party office but did not share the stage with other party leaders.

    “I am forwarding Raja Warring’s detailed note regarding Sidhu’s current activities along with this letter.

    His actions today at the assumption of office ceremony of Shri Raja Warring are also inexcusable,” Chaudhary said.

    “Shri Sidhu simply met and wished the incumbent PCC president and hurriedly left the venue whereas the entire state leadership attended the function and presented a united face to the Congress party workers,” noted Chaudhary.

    Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday refused to make any comment on the letter but asserted that everybody has to be in discipline.

    He said if anybody thinks, be it Raja Warring, that he is above the Congress party, then action should be taken against him.

    Sidhu had earlier said the Congress lost the Punjab elections because of the mafia raj that prevailed in the state and it now needed to reinvent itself.

    The Congress appointed Warring in place of Sidhu after its drubbing in the state Assembly polls.

    For months before the elections, Sidhu had been questioning the leadership of the then chief minister Amarinder Singh.

    He also directed barbs at Charanjit Singh Channi, who took over as the CM ahead of the elections.

    AAP stormed to power after winning 92 of 117 seats while the Congress got just 18.

  • Old friends are the best: Sidhu after meeting Prashant Kishor 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: After poll strategist Prashant Kishor declined the Congress offer to join the party, former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu met him on Tuesday and shared a picture with him saying “old friends are the best”.

    “Had a wonderful meeting with my old friend PK – Old wine, Old gold and Old friends still the best!!!” Sidhu said on Twitter, sharing his picture with Kishor.

    Had a wonderful meeting with my old friend PK … Old wine , Old gold and Old friends still the best !!! pic.twitter.com/OqOvkJqJmF
    — Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) April 26, 2022
    Earlier in the day, Kishor declined the Congress offer to join it and be a part of its Empowered Action Group for 2024 Lok Sabha elections saying more than him the Congress party needs “leadership and collective will” to fix deep-rooted structural problems through reforms.

    The poll strategist has been engaged with the Congress for bringing such changes and evolving the party’s strategy for upcoming elections and had made a detailed presentation on his plan to top party leaders.

  • Punjab Congress worker attacked in Ferozepur dies, police add murder charge to FIR

    By PTI

    FEROZEPUR: A Congress worker who was attacked in a village here over a fortnight ago succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Tuesday, following which police added murder charge to the FIR filed in the case.

    Former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and some of his party colleagues demanded action against the culprits and alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers were behind the attack.

    The Congress worker, Iqbal Singh (53), a resident of Kassoana village here, was attacked by three people with bricks on March 12, two days after the Punjab Assembly poll results were declared.

    Iqbal Singh was grievously injured in the incident and was admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College in Faridkot.

    His condition remained critical and he breathed his last on Tuesday, police said.

    Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Zira Sadar police station, Balraj Singh said the accused had been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in an FIR that was registered on March 13 on the basis of a complaint lodged by the deceased’s brother, Pal Singh.

    Now, Section 302 (murder) of the IPC has been added to the FIR, he said.

    “A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused and they will be arrested very soon,” the ASI said.

    Sidhu visited Iqbal Singh’s residence and demanded a government job for one of his family members.

    In a series of tweets, he said, “Congress worker brutally beaten to death in zira constituency”.

    Visited his home in village kasowana where his dead body was brought, took up the matter with the administration.

    Culprits should be arrested, victim’s family should be given a govt job!” “Justice delayed is justice denied ! Culprits (AAP Goons) should be booked and arrested immediately,” he said.

    Congress leader and former Punjab minister Pargat Singh urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to ensure immediate arrest of the accused.

    “I appeal to @BhagwantMann to ensure the immediate arrest of the three accused @AAPPunjab workers who led a murderous attack on Congress worker Iqbal Singh,a Dalit of Village Kassoana (Police Station Zira) on 12th March immediately after election results,” he tweeted.

    “The victim has succumbed to his injuries today and the accused are still roaming free. Punjab has not voted for this “change”,” he said in another tweet.

    Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira tweeted said he was “saddened” by the news of Iqbal Singh’s death.

    Blaming AAP workers for the attack, he said he hoped this isn’t the “badlav” (change) that the ruling party promised.

    Zira Congress MLA Kulbir Singh also demanded that the culprits be arrested immediately.

    “Iqbal was attacked by the accused with an intention to kill him. I urge CM Bhagwant Mann to ensure justice,” he said.

  • Over 20 Punjab leaders including Navjot Sidhu hold meeting

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: More than 20 Punjab Congress leaders, including former state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, held a meeting at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district on Saturday.

    Sukhpal Khaira, Congress MLA from Bholath who was present at the meeting, said that it was part of efforts to ensure a speedy revival of the party in Punjab.

    He said like-minded Cong MLAs, ex-MLAs, 2022 assembly election candidates and the former PCC president converged at the residence of former MLA Navtej Singh Cheema at Sultanpur Lodhi.

    “‘We’re sure party will take future decisions on merit n honesty in accordance with the mandate of ‘Badlav’ (change),” said Khaira in a tweet.

    Sidhu, who quit as Punjab unit chief on the direction of Congress president Sonia Gandhi following the party’s defeat in the recent assembly polls, shared a picture of the meeting on Twitter. “We will fight for Punjab’s rights and truth with good intentions and honesty,” he tweeted.

    Other prominent leaders present at the meeting were MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Rakesh Pandey, Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Ashwani Sekhri, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Pirmal Singh Dhaula and Davinder Singh Ghubaya.

    The Congress received a drubbing in the recently-held Punjab assembly polls as it could win only 18 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party stormed to power by bagging 92 seats of the 117-assembly segments in the state.

    Navjot Sidhu was also defeated by AAP candidate and political greenhorn Jeevan Jyot Kaur from Amritsar East seat.

    Sidhu had resigned as the party’s Punjab chief after Congress president Sonia Gandhi had asked its state unit chiefs in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur to put in their papers following the poll debacle.

  • AAP nominations for RS polls a ‘betrayal’ of Punjab: Sidhu

    New batteries for the Delhi remote control, it's blinking. Harbhajan is an exception, the rest are batteries and betrayal of Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu tweeted. 

  • UP polls: Smriti Irani rakes up Sidhu’s ‘Pakistan Link’, lashes out at Congress

    By PTI

    KUSHINAGAR: Union minister Smriti Irani accused the Congress on Sunday of colluding with those who had killed innocent people.

    Addressing an election meeting in Kushinagar, Irani hit out at Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying she made Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had embraced Pakistan’s army chief and said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is his brother, the president of the Punjab Congress.

    “If the Gandhi family has the courage, it should refute my allegations,” she added.

    In an apparent reference to Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik, who has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money-laundering case, Irani alleged that the Congress is shielding a person who has links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who was involved in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.

    Taking a jibe at the “ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon” (I am a girl and I can fight) slogan of the Congress for the ongoing Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Union minister for women and child development said the boat of the grand old party is sinking and it has handed over the charge of the sinking boat to women.

    “They emerge as chunavjeevi at the time of elections and come up with a new formula, some times in the name of caste, some times in the name of religion,” she said.

    Irani alleged that during the COVID-19 crisis, the Congress, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) were nowhere to be seen.

    “It was the BJP that went from house to house distributing masks and ration. Priyanka is sad over the fact that ration was distributed among poor people. Had there been an SP-BSP government, would the poor have got the ration?” she asked the gathering.

    Taking a jibe at the SP, the Union minister said, “Those who had once fired bullets on the devotees of Lord Ram are telling people that Lord Krishna comes in their dreams. I would like to tell them that in kalyug, Lord Krishna will never come to save criminals. God never sides with those who give shelter to people insulting women.”

    Referring to the Gandhis, she said a member of a family that had once said there was no Ram is moving from one temple to another wearing the sacred thread.

    Kushinagar is scheduled to go to polls in the sixth round of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh election on March 3.

  • Punjab polls: Cong promises financial assistance to women, 1 lakh govt jobs

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Congress on Friday released its manifesto for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls, promising Rs 1,100 per month for women, eight free cooking gas cylinders per year and one lakh government jobs.

    The party also promised to end the mafia raj by creating corporations for the sale of liquor and sand mining.

    Addressing the media here, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said the party’s government will procure oilseed, pulses and corn from farmers.

    The Congress manifesto has come on the last day of the campaigning for the Assembly polls. Sidhu said the party’s 13-point agenda reflects Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s vision.

    Sidhu said if the Congress returns to power, it first decision will be to give one lakh government jobs.

    Homemakers will be given Rs 1,100 per month as financial assistance besides eight cooking gas cylinders per year, Sidhu said.

    Oilseed, pulses and corn will be procured from farmers, he added.

  • ‘Thoko Thoko, Ruko!! Zoor k Thoko!’: Amarinder mocks Sidhu after Channi declared Congress CM face for Punjab

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress has taken a jibe at Congress’s state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu after Charanjit Singh Channi was declared the chief ministerial candidate for the assembly polls.

    Using a hashtag ‘#CurtainsForSidhu’ on its Twitter handle, it shared a picture in which Gandhi, Sidhu, Channi and Sunil Jakhar held each other’s hands and raised them in the air.

    However, the face of Sidhu got covered accidentally for a few seconds because of his shawl.

    “A picture is worth a thousand words,” said the PLC in a tweet on Sunday.

    Further mocking Sidhu, the PLC said, “Thoko Thoko, Ruko!! Zoor k Thoko!,” a reference to Sidhu’s penchant of saying “Thoko Tali”.

    Before the announcement of the CM face, Sidhu had said in a tweet, “Nothing great was ever achieved without an act of decision”.

    “Warm welcome to our leading light Rahul Ji, who comes to give clarity to Punjab. All will abide by his decision !!!”.

    To this, the PLC replied, “You won’t.”

    Singh was removed from the post of the chief minister by the Congress last September and later he floated his own party.

    The PLC is fighting the February 20 Punjab assembly polls in alliance with the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt).

  • All will abide by Rahul Gandhi’s decision, says Sidhu ahead of announcement of Congress CM face

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Ahead of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s announcement of the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the Punjab Assembly polls, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday said everybody will abide by his decision.

    Gandhi arrived in Ludhiana on Sunday to hold a virtual rally and announce the chief ministerial face of the party.

    “Nothing great was ever achieved without an act of decision “.

    “Warm welcome to our leading light Rahul Ji, who comes to give clarity to Punjab. All will abide by his decision !!!” Sidhu said in a tweet.

    Sidhu and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi are the main contenders for the chief ministerial candidate.

    Both have assured Gandhi they will stand by the party’s decision.

    Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said Punjab needs a chief ministerial face who can lead the state to a prosperous future.

    “Punjab today needs a face that can lead Punjab to a prosperous and bright future, and today shri @RahulGandhi ji is coming to Punjab to announce that face. We welcome them on their arrival in Punjab,” Randhawa said.

    During his last visit to Punjab on January 27, Gandhi announced at a virtual rally in Ludhiana that the Congress will soon declare its chief ministerial candidate and a decision on it will be taken after consulting party workers.

    Besides taking feedback from its leaders and workers, the Congress sought the opinion of the public on who should be its chief ministerial candidate through an automated call system.

    On Saturday, Sidhu, without naming any party, had said that a face would decide whether 60 candidates are elected as MLAs or not.

    He also stressed that only a person who has a roadmap for Punjab and who enjoys people’s trust can ensure that 60 contestants get elected as legislators.

    Elections to the 117-member Punjab Assembly will be held on February 20.

    The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

  • Rahul Gandhi to declare Cong’ CM face for Punjab polls on Sunday: Harish Chaudhary

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will announce the name of the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the Punjab elections on Sunday when he visits Ludhiana for a virtual rally, party’s senior leader Harish Chaudhary said on Friday.

    Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi reiterated that he would wholeheartedly back the party’s candidate who would be named for the chief ministerial post.

    “On February 6, Rahul Gandhi ji will visit Ludhiana and from there will address a virtual rally in the afternoon and announce the CM face,” Chaudhary, who is party’s Punjab affairs in-charge, said here.

    Channi, who was in Bhadaur, the second assembly seat from where he is contesting the polls, when asked about the party’s announcement about the CM face, said, “I had already said from the stage in Jalandhar (virtual rally) that I will go with party’s decision on CM face. I have already made a commitment from the stage in Rahul Gandhi’s presence that whosoever is made CM face, I will wholeheartedly back him and the same commitment has been made by Navjot Singh Sidhu and other leaders.”

    “Whosoever’s name is announced, we will go with him,” Channi added.

    During his last visit to Punjab on January 27, Gandhi while addressing a virtual rally in Jalandhar, had announced that the Congress will soon declare its chief ministerial face for the February 20 polls and a decision on it will be taken after consulting the party workers.

    Besides taking feedback from the leaders and workers of the party, the Congress is also seeking the opinion of the public on who should be its chief ministerial candidate through an automated call system.

    In the 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab, Congress MLAs and party leaders along with supporters in as many numbers as allowed according to the Election Commission guidelines will remain present when Gandhi addresses the virtual rally from Ludhiana, Chaudhary said.

    Ahead of the announcement of the chief ministerial face for the Punjab Assembly polls by the Congress, party’s state unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had said “people at the top” want a weak chief minister.

    “People at the top want a weak chief minister who can dance to their tunes,” Sidhu said addressing his supporters in Amritsar on Thursday evening.

    However, he did not make it clear whether he was referring to the Congress central leadership or anyone else.

    When asked about Sidhu’s remarks, Chaudhary said, “If one goes through Sidhu’s entire statement, then this question won’t be asked. It will become clear that he is not speaking about Congress party but about Narendra Modi’s BJP.”

    He said Sidhu had assured the people of Punjab that when the party announces the name of the chief ministerial candidate, he would wholeheartedly support it. Channi had also repeated the same thing, Chaudhary added.

    To another related question to the “weak chief minister” remark of Sidhu, Chaudhary quipped, “Both Sidhu and Channi are not weak.”

    For the last several weeks, both Chief Minister Channi and Sidhu have, directly or indirectly, made a case for themselves to be declared as the party’s nominee for the top post.

    On Thursday, Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu said irrespective of who becomes the chief minister, her husband is a ‘hero’ and will remain so. Her reply came when asked about her husband’s political future if he does not become the chief minister of Punjab.

    Addressing a virtual rally in Jalandhar last week, Rahul Gandhi had said both Channi and Sidhu have assured him that whosoever is chosen as the party’s chief ministerial face, they will stand by the decision.

    He had said this after Sidhu demanded at the rally that the Congress declare its chief ministerial face for the Punjab polls and said he does not want to be a “showpiece”.

    Channi had then said he was never after any post and would wholeheartedly back the party’s candidate for the top post. Channi replaced Amarinder Singh as the chief minister in September last year. He is the first chief minister from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in the state.

    Polling for the 117-member Punjab Assembly is scheduled to be held on February 20. The counting of votes will be taken up on March 10.