Recently, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu described Rahul Gandhi as “Pappu”. Although she didn’t spell out specifically that she meant Rahul only, the message was obvious and not lost on anyone, not even the Congress. The party, which had earlier suspended her, has now expelled her. Interestingly, her husband, who plays up his close bonding with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, has maintained a studied silence.
The Congress realised it quite late in the day that the Sidhus were not a good bargain and in the process, suffered huge losses, including Capt Amarinder Singh. The party’s devastating drubbing in the 2022 assembly elections was mainly because of Sidhu for multiple reasons.
Now again, the Sidhu couple apparently wanted the reins of the party to be handed over to him (Navjot). As the party apparently spurned any such move, Dr Sidhu has gone ballistic. Earlier, she had even referred to “briefcases of money” for getting appointed as the chief minister.
With Navjot Sidhu as the PCC president in 2022, the Congress’ tally in the Punjab assembly came down from 77 to 18.
It is like the proverbial chickens coming home to roost for the Congress, particularly the Gandhi family. The family lost one of its close friends Capt Amarinder Singh, only and only, because of Sidhu. Sidhu had resigned from the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2016. He negotiated with both the Congress as well as the Aam Aadmi Party. Eventually, he joined the Congress. Given his galloping ambition, he wanted some prominent role. Knowing well that he could not be made chief minister when Amarinder was already there, he tried hard to be the deputy chief minister. Amarinder strongly resisted it.
After Amarinder changed his portfolio, he made it a prestige issue and did not take the new assignment as the Minister of Power. He wanted to retain the Local Bodies ministry.
Amarinder held down his foot. Sidhu, who was banking much on Priyanka Gandhi’s support also refused to join the ministry. One ministerial berth was kept vacant for him.
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In the meanwhile, Sidhu used his good offices with the Gandhi family, particularly Priyanka to “coerce or convince” the first family to appoint him as the Punjab Congress president. This was also strongly resisted by Amarinder. Eventually, the party high command had its way. Sunil Jakhar was removed and Sidhu was appointed the PCC president. And the decline of the Congress in Punjab started from that day itself.
Some of Amarinder’s detractors joined forces with Sidhu to seek his removal. These included some of his (Amarinder’s) trusted colleagues as well. Eventually, Amarinder was asked to resign in September 2021.
As it later turned out, this was the proverbial last straw on the Congress’ back. While Sidhu had managed to get Amarinder removed, he could not become the chief minister himself. Most of the Congress MLAs that time favoured Sunil Jakhar. His name was vetoed by Ambika Soni, senior party leader in the high command from Punjab, as she claimed that a Hindu cannot be Punjab’s chief minister and it must be someone “turbaned” only. Ultimately, the choice fell on Charanjit Singh Channi, who being a Dalit Sikh was considered the best bet for the party.
Only to please Navjot Sidhu, for still unknown reasons, the Gandhi family ditched Amarinder, a long-time friend with whose family they had a generational relationship. Amarinder was a very close friend of late Rajeev Gandhi. The two had studied together in the Doon School.
Sonia Gandhi reportedly felt helpless in front of her two children, Rahul and Priyanka who wanted Amarinder to be replaced. Amarinder resigned gracefully, without trying to sabotage the party in any way at that time.
Amarinder later resigned from the Congress also and founded his own Punjab Lok Congress only to join the BJP, eventually. But even while being in the BJP, Amarinder never spoke a word against the Gandhi family or the two children. When Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu alleged that in the Congress one needed heavy briefcases full of cash to become the chief minister, Amarinder rejected and refuted her charges citing his own example. He said he had become the chief minister twice, but had never experienced such demands.
Given the treatment meted out to Amarinder he had no reason to defend the Gandhis. He could have stayed quiet. But he did not, even while being in the party which is strongly opposed to the Congress. He showed the grace and dignity so characteristic of him.
Compare that with the way the Sidhus are treating the Gandhi family, which not only gave so much to them, but also lost a trusted friend for generations, for them. When Navjot Kaur Sidhu described Rahul as Pappu and when Navjot Sidhu maintained a silence about it, there must have been some feeling of loss and regret within the family, realising that they had thrown away a pearl for a pebble.
No wonder a large majority of the leaders and workers in the Congress today are fondly missing Amarinder. May be the Gandhis, too are.
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