Punjab Polls: Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu Files Nomination From Amritsar East

Sidhu said that Amritsar had always believed in the Congress and will continue to put its faith in the party.

Navjot Singh Sidhu Files Nomination From Amritsar East

(Photo: The Quint)

Congress candidate from Amritsar East, Navjot Singh Sidhu, filed his nomination on Saturday, 29 January, for the state Assembly elections.

The Punjab Congress chief stated that Amritsar had always believed in the Congress and will continue to put its faith in the party in the forthcoming elections.

“I don’t want to turn loktantra (democracy) into dandatantra (force)… This city had, have and will continue to have its faith in the Congress,” he said.

In an interesting situation, Sidhu is the sitting legislator from the seat in Amritsar East, and his opposition is Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD's) leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

On the nomination of the SAD candidate from Majitha and Amritsar East constituencies, Sidhu warned the MLA.

"If you (Bikram Singh Majithia) have guts then leave Majitha and contest elections only from the Amritsar East."

Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab Congress Chief

Clash of the Candidates

SAD president Sukhbir Badal, on Wednesday, while announcing his candidature, asserted that Majithia would contest against Sidhu "to dismantle his arrogance." Badal is also contesting from Amritsar East.

On the other hand, Sidhu has been emphatically targeting Majithia over the latter's drug case and alleged connections with drug cartels. Majithia was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act last month and was given anticipatory bail for the same from Supreme Court.

In response to Majithia's candidature against the state party chief, Congress legislator Raj Kumar Verka told IANS, "The Akali Dal wanted Majithia to taste defeat at the hands of Sidhu. The voters will teach him a lesson on their own."

Speaking in support of her husband, Sidhu's namesake wife, Navjot Kaur, asked Majithia to "get the bail first." She added that they did not consider Akali Dal as a challenge since Amritsar was their karmbhumi and they had worked hard for their constituents.

"I don't feel that there is any arrogance in us. He can also contest from behind the bars."

Navjot Kaur, who represented Amritsar (East) as the SAD-BJP combine candidate from 2012-17

What Did the Opposition Say?

Badal stated that the political life of Sidhu had come to an end. He continued, "Sidhu has been harping on his support among the masses. Now his support will be tested with 'Majha da sher' (warrior from Punjab's Majha region) taking him on in his home constituency."

Badal also blamed the Congress government for weakening the Punjab and the Akali Dal. However, he mentioned that he did not trouble any Congress leader when he was the chief minister of the state.

"Sidhu's arrogance will be his undoing. He should get ready to fight the brave SAD workers. We will break his arrogance by ensuring he loses his security deposit."

Sukhbir Badal, Shiromani Akali Dal President

Background

Sidhu has been an Amritsar MP from the BJP thrice. But, in 2014, he "sacrificed" this seat for his "guru," Arun Jaitley. When he couldn't find a bigger role in the Punjab, Sidhu quit the party and resigned from the Parliament.

The Congress had won an absolute majority of 77 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly in the 2017 elections, and in turn, defeated the SAD-BJP government after a period of 10 years.

Punjab will go to polls on 20 February, while votes will be counted on 10 March.

(With inputs from IANS, The Indian Express and ANI.)