Navjot Singh Sidhu breaks silence, seeks 'guidance' from PPCC presidents amid power tussle

Amid mounting speculation over whether the Congress party will appoint Navjot Singh Sidhu as the next head of the Punjab state unit, the cricketer-turned-politician met the serving head Sunil Kumar Jakhar, and two other working presidents - Santosh Chaudhary and Vijay Indra Singla on Saturday. In the meeting, which lasted over half an hour, Sidhu sought guidance from the leaders, who he referred to as 'wise men'.

The meeting comes after sources informed that an announcement can come any time regarding Sidhu's promotion to the post of Punjab Congress head. Along with Sidhu's appointment as the head, four other working presidents are also to be appointed, sources informed. 

Sidhu hints at beginning of a new inning in Punjab Congress

Sidhu, who has all this while kept mum about speculations of his appointment, took to his official Twitter and shared pictures of his meeting with the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee presidents, including Sunil Jakhar. He wrote, "Seeking the guidance of Presidents of the illustrious Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee … Conversations with wise men, worth months of Education !!" The post can be seen as a hint of the beginning of a new inning for the cricketer-turned politicians. 

The meeting comes after Captain Amarinder Singh, earlier in the day, gave a clean chit to arch-foe Sidhu's appointment. The CM of Punjab after meeting in-charge Harish Rawat stated that he will abide by the High Command's decision. He, however, raised concerns regarding the political changes, which made it evident that he is not happy with the decision.

On Friday, sources had informed that the Punjab CM has written to party chief Sonia Gandhi expressing anger at Congress High Command's continued interference into the state unit's politics. Warning of repercussions of the High Command's continued interference, he has highlighted how castes need to be represented adequately in the party and the state cabinet.

Moreover, sources stated that top leaders in Captain Amarinder's camp allegedly feel that appointing a man who is known to be a 'friend' of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa is 'a big mistake'. Sources state that the Punjab CM is worried about alienating the Hindu vote bank in Punjab by Sidhu's elevation. Singh has backed  Congress MP Manish Tewari for the top post as a 'Hindu face' to appease the 38% Hindu population in the state.

Sidhu Vs Capt

Sidhu has been at loggerheads with the Punjab Chief Minister after he denied Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. Later, he was divested of several portfolios which led to his resignation from the cabinet.  He later patched up with CM Amarinder Singh over an informal lunch, but it seems to have gone awry as Sidhu began to attack the CM again. After the HC quashed the SIT probe into 2015 firing sacrilege cases, he targeted the CM for not acting against key Shiromani Akali Dal leaders in the same case. Recently, the Amritsar East MLA has taken to Twitter to advise the CM to cut down on power costs, tweeting several radical suggestions. As the High Command mulls appointing Sidhu as state party chief, Singh has refused to accommodate Sidhu as state party chief, offering to induct him in the cabinet if needed.