Now, Cong bosses mull action against Sidhu for ‘anti-party’ acts
CHANDIGARH: All India Congress Committee in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary has recommended action against former state unit president Navjot Singh Sidhu for his anti-party activities in the run-up to the assembly elections and breach of party discipline in recent days.
Chaudhary suggested the disciplinary action against Sidhu in a letter sent to Congress president Sonia Gandhi eight days ago, asserting that he cannot be allowed to portray himself above the party and to set an example for others to breach the party discipline.
The central leadership is learnt to have decided to refer the matter to the disciplinary action committee (DAC) of the party. A disciplinary panel member, however, said they have not received any communication from the leadership in this regard so far.
Sidhu is the second former PPCC chief against whom a complaint has been sent by Chaudhary to the party high command. The state in-charge had sent a letter to the Congress chief against Sunil Jakhar and the party took action against him on the disciplinary panel’s recommendation.
The talk of action against Sidhu coincided with his tweet welcoming political strategist Prashant Kishor’s plans to float his own political outfit. “The first blow is half the battle my friend… A good beginning always makes a good ending… Best always in your sincere efforts to honour the spirit of our Constitution,” he posted on Twitter. Kishor had been in talks with the Congress leadership on joining the party, but they could reach an understanding on his role.
The first blow is half the battle my friend… A good beginning always makes a good ending. NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU to Prashant Kishor on new endeavour
‘Sidhu continuously spoke against Cong govt during polls’
In his letter, Chaudhary cited Sidhu’s criticism of the Congress government (headed by Charanjit Singh Channi) before the state polls and his attempts to portray himself above the party subsequently. “…Sidhu continuously criticised the functioning of the Congress government terming it corrupt and hand in glove with the Shiromani Akali Dal,” he wrote on April 23.
The Punjab affairs in-charge said that as the party was fighting the elections, it was inappropriate for Sidhu to set such a precedent and he continued to speak against the government relentlessly in spite of repeated advice to avoid such activities. He also sent a note from newly appointed Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring’s note regarding Sidhu’s current activities, calling his actions at the former’s installation ceremony as inexcusable.
“Sidhu simply met and wished the incumbent PCC president and hurriedly left the venue, whereas, the entire state leadership attended the function and presented a united face to the Congress party workers,” Chaudhary wrote, strongly recommending that an explanation must be sought from Sidhu as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him. The state affairs in-charge pushed for action against Sidhu a day after Warring’s installation ceremony in Chandigarh where Sidhu did not share the stage with the party leaders and told reporters that “mafia raj” during the five-year rule of the Congress for its defeat, triggering a war of words.
After the event, a visibly upset
Chaudhary had warned of action against anyone trying to deviate from the party line.
A few other party leaders also expressed displeasure over the former state chief’s conduct. Sidhu’s hobnobbing with expelled leaders, particularly former MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, and parallel programmes have been mentioned by the incumbent Punjab Congress chief in his note to the party leadership while raising seriously concerns about maintaining discipline in the party in the face of such activities, people familiar with the development said. Dhiman had publicly criticised Warring, raising questions over the appointment, after his name was announced as the state unit president.
When contacted, Warring said he would not like to comment since the matter was before the Congress president and the disciplinary action committee. “Be it Navjot Sidhu or Raja Warring, everyone has to be in discipline. If I consider myself above the party, action should be taken against me also. I appeal to every party leader to maintain discipline,” Warring earlier told reporters after a meeting with the newly appointed office bearers of the state unit.
A state leader said the way he (Sidhu) has been acting for the past several months, it was only a matter of time that the party took note of his actions and initiated steps to discipline him. Sidhu was among the local heads of five states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur, who were asked to put in their papers by Congress president Sonia Gandhi after the party’s humiliating defeat in the February-march assembly elections. Though some ex-mlas lobbied for his reappointment, the party named Warring. Sidhu has been active since, holding meetings and protests along with some party leaders supporting him.