Punjab Elections: Navjot Singh Sidhu says 'Congress stronger after Amarinder Singh's exit'

A day after the Election Commission of India's (ECI) briefing with regards to the upcoming Assembly polls, Congress on Sunday said that they were the first ones to adhere to the instructions. Speaking to the media, Punjab party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu underlined that it is important to set an example to protect lives in times of COVID, and opined that the 2022 elections are going to be a 'digital portal fought' elections. 

The current Assembly, elected in 2017, is set to expire on 27 March. Voting to elect members of the 117-member House will take place in a single phase on February 14, as per the Election Commission. 

'Congress gained a lot of trust after Capt stepping down as CM'

"We (Congress) have regained a lot of trust after the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh from the Chief Ministerial post," Sidhu said while speaking of the prospects of Congress winning in the state. The Congress state chief further said that a political narrative without a people-driven agenda is 'hollowness, a diversion tactic'. "It's important to bring back people of Punjab at the core of this election," he added. 

Talking about the Punjab Model of Congress, which as per him was 'people's model', Sidhu said, "It is an effort to give a roadmap to give power back to people. To counter the powerful 'Mafia Model' which has the power to even stop the notification of Cabinet passed resolutions. A model to redistribute states resources and power back to rightful beneficiaries."

"Punjab model to unveil governance reforms soon. To give Constitutional powers to panchayats & urban local bodies," he added, also paving way for 'Digital Punjab'. 

Congress political turmoil 

Despite winning a huge mandate in the 2017 polls, infighting erupted in the Congress camp after Sidhu started attacking the then CM Amarinder Singh over the purported delayed justice in the incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and drug cases.

The situation escalated on September 18 after Congress summoned a legislative party meeting without keeping the Punjab CM in the loop. Amid growing speculation that Singh will be ousted, the latter tendered his resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at about 4.30 pm on the same day owing to "humiliation". However, Charanjit Singh Channi pipped Sidhu who had by then become the Punjab party chief to the CM's post on September 20.