‘Post or no post, will stand by Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi’, tweets Sidhu amid Punjab Congress crisis
Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that he will continue to support the Gandhis, whether he is given any post or not. This comes amidst the turmoil in the Punjab unit of Congress, triggered by his resignation as the chief of the party’s state unit.
“Will uphold principles of Gandhi Ji and Shastri Ji… Post or no post will stand by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Let all negative forces try to defeat me, but with every ounce of positive energy will make Punjab win, Punjabiyat (Universal Brotherhood) win and every Punjabi win !!” he wrote on Twitter.
On Thursday, Sidhu held a meeting with Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, after which it was reported that the issues between the two leaders arrived at a formula to form a coordination committee for better administration of the state unit. A senior leader said after the meeting that Sidhu will continue as Punjab Congress chief.
On September 28, Sidhu resigned from the post saying he won’t be able to compromise on the state’s future.
In a video he tweeted days later, the senior leader of the party also said that politics for him is taking a stand for the people and for Punjab, not for his own benefit.
Sidhu’s sudden resignation gave fuel to the fire in Punjab Congress, which the top leadership thought was doused after resignation of Amarinder Singh as chief minister. According to reports, Sidhu did not discuss the resignation with any senior Congress leader before posting on his social media.
Meanwhile, downplaying the crisis at a time when the Congress is just a few months away from the legislative assembly election, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday said, “Party is supreme. The government takes note of the needs of the party.”
Amarinder Singh, who resigned from the post of chief minister last month, said on Thursday that he will leave the party, clarified that he will not join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).