What do you do about a problem called Navjot Singh Sidhu if you are the Congress party? Sidhu can’t stop and won’t stop until he becomes the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab and all obstacles in his path including his own CM are facing the ridicule by the 58 year old former cricketer-turned-politician.
Previously Sidhu was on a war path against Captain Amarinder Singh until the then Chief Minister was forced out of both — his office and the Congress party with the open support of the Gandhi siblings.
The Gandhi siblings now appear wary of Sidhu with his permanent wrecking-ball currently being wielded against Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab CM and a Dalit face.
Channi is now contesting the Punjab assembly elections from two seats Bhadaur and his traditional constituency of Chamkaur Sahib. This is an opaque Congress High Command nudge that Channi will be the party’s CM face.
Rahul Gandhi, former Congress party president, had in a campaigning pit stop promised the people of Punjab that the party would announce a CM face.
Punjab has the highest Dalit (lower-caste group) population in India with Dalits making up 32 per cent of the state’s three crore population as per the 2011 Census.
The strength of the Dalit population has not really yielded them political power in Punjab and Channi is the first Dalit to make it to the CM’s chair.
When the Gandhi siblings pulled out Channi like the proverbial rabbit from a hat, the naysayers scoffed, saying that he was a stop gap arrangement till the polls after which Sidhu’s face would be unveiled as the CM.
Sidhu perhaps also believed his own press and made pilgrimage stops with Channi. However, differences and the public airing of dirty laundry began from day one as Sidhu interfered in official appointments and publicly tried to call the shots.
Channi, the politician
Channi who seems to be a shrewd politician, publicly indulged Sidhu but refused to give him much say in decision making.
Channi took his first Dalit CM status as a brand positioning and ran with it. Elaborate media stories appeared about Channi publicly wading in and helping people in distress.
With his folksy air Channi has made all the right political moves, leaving Sidhu cornered and in an unenviable position. As is his wont, Sidhu went on public tirades saying that he would not listen to anyone in his own party when it involved the development of Punjab.
The Congress party is now faced what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — Sidhu’s earlier party faced — a series of ‘Sidhu-in-a-China-shop’ public bombardment.
The Congress in Punjab — like the central Congress — is a house divided with various factions sniping at each other, complete with public attacks. However, Sidhu has made the maximum noise as he sees his dream job slipping away from him yet again.
Punjab Congress leaders are watching how the Gandhi siblings deal with Sidhu, who has been given the longest possible rope.
Senior leaders now believe that Gandhi’s public statement about giving a CM face that Punjab wants is a clear attempt at damage control.
Belated realisation for Sidhu
People will be asked to vote in the Congress-developed Shakti app and choose the leader they want as CM. The Channi camp is sanguine that the choice of Channi is a foregone conclusion.
The Gandhi siblings thought that appointing a Dalit was a masterstroke (to use the much abused term currently in media fashion in India) but, have now realised that the kudos could turn in to brickbats if the appointment was seen as just a holding operation or a mere tokenism to get rid of Amarinder Singh.
Channi is completely aware of this and knows that it gives him enormous leverage when it comes to securing the top job. Astute political observers knew right from when Channi was appointed as CM that Sidhu had been played. It seems that the realisation dawned belatedly on Sidhu as well.
Now after his maximalist moves, Sidhu has also publicly said that he will accept the verdict of the people and the Gandhi family.
The Gandhi scion made a pointed public announcement to this effect in the presence of both the warring leaders, hoping to ensure peace.
But, expect no respite as far as Sidhu is concerned. He is a man in a hurry, hoping for the corner office in the Chandigarh secretariat. And, he is ready to bulldoze anyone in his way.
The Congress party is fully braced for voter impact and a hard Sidhu landing.
