Sidhu couple sets political circles abuzz in Capt Amarinder Singh’s bastion

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 18

After being away from Patiala for over a decade, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, along with his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, has suddenly become active with recent press conferences and political functions in the bastion of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

From opening an office to criticising the state government, the Sidhu couple is fast emerging as the talk of the town. Though openly local Congress leaders have been staying away from their events, insiders claim many are in touch with them.

Sidhu, however, claims his “focus is not to make any political gains, but to highlight the injustice for the victims of drugs and Bargari issues”. Meanwhile his wife and former Amritsar (East) MLA is often seen meeting party workers at her husband’s ancestral house in Yadavindra Colony. Off late, she has been taking keen interest in the two Vidhan Sabha segments of Patiala (rural) and Sanaur constituencies.

“Cabinet Minister Brahm Mohindra is an elected MLA from Patiala (rural) and is projecting his son as his political successor. However, the recent opening of an office by Navjot Kaur in Sanaur, is seen as a move to counter Congress leader Harinderpal Singh Harry Mann, who lost the last polls,” say political observers.

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Sources say local Congress leaders have been meeting the Sidhu couple primarily highlighting “corruption in the Municipal Corporation and the role of handpicked leaders in mining and illegal liquor trade”.

Officially being the state president of women wing of Jat Maha Sabha in Punjab, Navjot Kaur Sidhu is using the platform to open offices and holding meetings with the youth leaders.

Patiala District Congress, president (urban) KK Malhotra states that the Congress in Patiala is united under Preneet Kaur and he is unaware of any Congress leaders holding meetings with the Sidhu couple. “We are united under our MP Preneet Kaur”, he stated.

Recently Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had taken potshots at Congress government over the “botched-up probe” into 2015 sacrilege cases and the drugs menace.

Holds political functions, press meets

While Navjot Singh Sidhu is holding press conferences and political functions in the bastion of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu is taking keen interest in the two Vidhan Sabha segments of Patiala (rural) and Sanaur constituencies