Blow for Navjot Sidhu as aide Razia Sultana attends Cabinet meet despite resigning earlier

In a blow for Navjot Singh Sidhu, his aide Razia Sultana attended the Punjab Cabinet meeting on Monday two weeks after tendering her resignation as a Minister. A three-time MLA from Malerkotla, she is married to Mohammad Mustafa who is serving as the 'principal strategic advisor' of the Punjab Congress president. After Sidhu stepped down on September 28, she resigned on the same day expressing solidarity with him and millions of Congress workers. As per sources, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi did not accept Razia Sultana's resignation and asked her to attend the Cabinet meeting.

As his resignation has not been officially accepted yet, speculation was rife that efforts were underway to placate him with the possibility of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra talking to him. However, sources told Republic TV that the Congress high command is contemplating replacing him with Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljeet Singh Nagra and Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu. Pertinently, the former swashbuckling batsman has vowed to stand by the leadership of Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra irrespective of whether he is an office-bearer of the party. 

Congress rocked by Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation 

Barely a week into his tenure as the CM of Punjab, Charanjit Singh Channi encountered dissent within Congress as Navjot Sidhu put in his papers. Observing that "the collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner", the former BJP MP affirmed that he will never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of the state. Moreover, he stated that he is ready to make any sacrifice for the people and alleged that those who gave a clean chit to the Badals are being given important positions in the new dispensation. 

Sources revealed that Sidhu was unhappy not only for being ignored for the CM's post but also for the choice of the DGP and Advocate General. Pertinently, APS Deol had appeared for former Deputy General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and other accused in the sacrilege cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On September 30, the Punjab Congress president accepted Channi's offer for talks and held a long discussion with him at the Punjab Bhawan

Asserting that the crisis will come to an end soon, AICC Punjab in charge Harish Rawat revealed on October 1, "People say a lot of things in emotion. We know his emotions in some matters. No step will be taken which will be seen as a compromise with his sentiments regarding Punjab. He has understood things. He has held a discussion with the CM and the discussion will continue. I am confident that this issue will be resolved by Punjab Congress at the state level."