The suspense over cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu joining the Congress continues despite his second round of talks with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. Sidhu is said to have pressed for some “significant” role in the party and particularly in poll-bound Punjab. The former BJP MP from Punjab has conveyed to the Congress leadership that he “risked” his political career and even resigned as the Rajya Sabha member anticipating a “larger” role due to his “clean image” in the State.
AICC sources, however, maintained that Sidhu is expected to join the party anytime soon and is likely to play a crucial role in Punjab which goes to poll on February 4. Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur has already joined Congress, along with Pargat Singh, a former Akali Dal legislator who had joined hands with Sidhu to form the outfit Awaaz-E Punjab.
The party also released a list of 23 candidates which include leaders who switched over to the party from Akali Dal. The total number of candidates announced by the party has gone up to 100 out of total 117 seats.
The meeting between the Rahul and Sidhu lasted for around half-an-hour during which the modalities of his joining as well as his future role in the party were discussed. This is the second meeting between the two who had earlier met in early December. Sources said Sidhu is likely to contest from the Amritsar East assembly constituency which is at present represented by his wife Navjot Kaur, who has also said this a few days ago.
There are talks of him vying for the Deputy Chief Minister’s position, but Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh has denied this saying Sidhu will be joining the Congress unconditionally. Singh had, however, said the decision on deputy chief minister would be taken by party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi at an “appropriate time”.
The Punjab list was cleared last night by the Central Election Committee of the party headed by Sonia Gandhi. Rajwinder Kaur Bhagikay, who was a sitting MlA from Akali Dal and joined Congress few days ago, has been given ticket from Nihal Singhwala constituency while former lok Sabha MP Mohinder Singh Kay Pee has been fielded from Adampur seat.
Deepinder Singh Dhillon, who had unsuccessfully contested against Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh’s wife Preneet Kaur in the 2014 lok Sabha polls as a Akali nominee, has been given ticket from Dara Bassi seat.
Akali leader Kamaljit Singh Karwal, who switched allegiance to Congress from Akali Dal, will fight the polls from Atam Nagar seat while Harminder Singh Jassi, a relative of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, has been fielded from the Maur seat. Devinder Gubaya, son of Akali sitting MP from Firozpur, Sher Singh Gubaya, has been given ticket from Fazilka seat.
Former CPI leader Nathu Ram, who also switched over to Congress, will contest from Balluana while Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, wife of lok Sabha MP from Jalandhar Santokh Singh Cahudhary has been fielded from Phillaur seat.
Former Minister Joginder Singh Mann will contest from prestigious Phagwara seat and five-time MlA Rakesh Pandey will fight the polls from ludhiana North constituency. Rajinder Singh, son of former Minister lal Singh, has been given ticket from Samana constituency. The candidature for Sanour seat, where lal Singh is a sitting MlA, has not been announced. The party had announced that only one member from a family will get ticket and that there will be no compromise on it. Congress had announced the first list 61 candidates on December 15 and and second list of 16 nominees on December 23. Hectic lobbying is underway for the remaining 17 seats.