Navjot Sidhu appointed Punjab Congress chief

Aditi Tandon and Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/Chandigarh, July 18

After days of speculation, the Congress on Sunday appointed cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu as the next president of the Punjab Congress, ignoring persistent opposition from CM Capt Amarinder Singh and leaders close to him.

Former Amritsar MP and sitting MLA from Amritsar East, Navjot Sidhu replaces Sunil Jakhar.

The party also named four working presidents. They are Urmar MLA Sangat Singh Gilzian, Jandiala legislator Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra and Pawan Goel from Jaito in Faridkot.

The announcement came late Sunday night by AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal. The appointments spell a setback for Capt Amarinder who had put up a stiff resistance to Sidhu’s elevation, urging Congress president Sonia Gandhi to make Sidhu either the campaign committee chairman or a prominent minister, even Deputy CM.

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The Congress has struck a balance in the appointments with three-time MLA Gilzian representing the OBCs and Doaba region. He hails from Hoshiarpur. Gilzian started out as a sarpanch. He then went on to contest zila parishad elections and fought his first Assembly election in 2002 from Tanda Urmar.

Gilzian lost the first poll. He was elected as an Independent in 2007 from the same segment, which he went on to retain in 2012 and 2017 on the Congress ticket.

Danny, an MLA from SC (reserved) segment Jandiala, is former vice-president of the Punjab Youth Congress and son of SS Bandala, former Excise Minister in the Congress government in 2002- 2007.

Two-time MLA Nagra, considered close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, represents the Jat Sikhs. Nagra is AICC in-charge of Sikkim, Nagaland and Tripura. He has been relieved of the charge.

While Gilzian is from Doaba, Danny is from Majha and Goel and Nagra are from Malwa. The appointments signal a mix of experienced and young leaders with the CM’s stamp evidently missing.

Sonia Gandhi’s Punjab announcements today could potentially herald a change in the Punjab politics with Sidhu emerging as Capt Amarinder’s successor.

Recent Congress history reveals that state unit presidents have gone on to become CMs – Capt Amarinder Singh was Punjab unit chief ahead of becoming CM in 2017 andKamal Nath was Madhya Pradesh Congress chief ahead of becoming CM. Sidhu’s top challenge would be to take the CM on board and put up a united front.

He is expected to energise cadre

• Sidhu’s ability to pull crowds, launch a vigorous campaign has worked in his favour
• The party feels infusing fresh energy in the party ranks ahead of polls is a must
• Sidhu faces the challenge of uniting the party & winning the trust of the old guard