Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, it seems, will soon be back in game.
Retired hurt after differences with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh some two years back but attended to regularly by the party high command, Sidhu had virtually assumed the role of a commentator with his YouTube channel. But he has been invited over to share delicacy and thoughts during the royal luncheon by the Chief Minister for Wednesday — a development indicating a thaw in cold relations between the two.
Known for lunch diplomacy for resolving arguments or differences, Capt Amarinder’s move is being seen as an attempt to come together especially after the strenuous efforts by the Congress’ state affairs in-charge Harish Rawat, who has all along been giving prominence to Sidhu.
When Rawat was given the responsibility of party’s Punjab unit in September, he indicated at bridging the differences between the party’s top brass, especially bringing together Capt Amarinder and Sidhu.
In fact, Sidhu, only after Rawat’s insistence, shared the stage with the Chief Minister during Rahul Gandhi’s tractor rally against Centre’s farm laws, attended Vidhan Sabha session after more than a year, and even participated in party’s dharna at Delhi under Capt Amarinder’s leadership. And all through this, Rawat ensured that Sidhu was not left behind or ignored.
Even as the Chief Minister’s media adviser Raveen Thukral maintained that the two would “discuss state and national politics”, the Wednesday luncheon meeting is seen as a turnaround for the Congress and Sidhu’s return to the Cabinet just about a years before the elections.
In fact, it has been learnt that Congress’ national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was vigorously making efforts for Sidhu’s “active” return in the state politics, especially with the state’s next assembly polls approaching.
Acting on the same lines, Rawat, time and again, gave enough indications that Sidhu is indispensable for the party, even describing him as “Rafale” and party’s vital weapon for the next elections, on more than one occasion.
Considering the importance given to Sidhu by the party high command, Capt Amarinder, it seems, is now made to accept that he has to take along the former Minister.
“Punjab CM @capt_amarinder has invited Navjot Singh Sidhu for lunch tomorrow (Nov 25). He & @sherryontopp are expected to discuss state & national politics over the luncheon meeting,” tweeted Thukral.
It has been learnt that the meeting, to take place at the Chief Minister’s Siswan farmhouse near Chandigarh, is mainly aimed at breaking the ice between the two.
“With the efforts of the party high command, both the leaders have been able to come together, and this lunch meeting is just to endorse those efforts and clear the differences if there are any,” a senior Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, told The Pioneer.
The Congress leader pointed that both Capt Amarinder and Sidhu “showed the signs of rapprochement by participating in Rahul Gandhi’s tractor rally, then seconding the Capt Amarinder’s resolution in Vidhan Sabha’s special session on his request, and the again participating in Delhi dharna under Chief Minister’s leadership that shows that Sidhu is ready to accept Capt Amarinder as his leader and Capt Amarinder is also ready to accept Sidhu as party’s important leader”.
Available information suggests that Capt Amarinder had himself called up Sidhu asking him to second his resolution against Centre’s farm laws in the Vidhan Sabha.
Moreover, Sidhu was the second last speaker before the Chief Minister and praised the Chief Minister for his stand in favour of the farmers during the party’s dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Capt Amarinder and Sidhu are not on the best of terms ever since the latter resigned from the Cabinet after being divested of the Local Government Department after party’s not-so-good performance during 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since then, the State Cabinet has a vacancy that was not filled by the Chief Minister.