Capt Amarinder, Navjot Sidhu meet over tea, talk Cabinet ‘re-induction’

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 17

The much-awaited meeting between Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and former Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu finally took place at the former’s farmhouse in Siswan today. This was the second meeting between the two leaders in the past four months after Sidhu resigned from the Cabinet in 2019.

Though there was no formal announcement by the Chief Minister’s Office on Sidhu’s future in the party, it is learnt that the Chief Minister and Sidhu did discuss the possibility of the latter’s re-induction into the Cabinet but nothing concrete came out. “Whether Sidhu has agreed to the offer or not is yet to be seen,” sources in the party said.

The meeting over tea happened for nearly 45 minutes, before Sidhu left along with Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi. After the meeting, Sidhu, in his typical encrypted one-liners, tweeted, “Azad raho vicharoan se lekin raho sanskaron se… tankee aas aur vishwas rahe kirdaroan pe”.

Punjab affairs in charge and AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, who has been instrumental in pushing for Sidhu’s return to active party politics, was not present in the meeting. Sources said Sidhu’s re-induction should happen before the end of the month before he leaves for campaigning in West Bengal. It is learnt that the Chief Minister will have a word with the party high command before making any formal announcement on Sidhu. The appointment of Sidhu as PPCC president or elevating him as the deputy chief minister is being ruled out by party sources close to the Chief Minister.

Refusing to share details, Sodhi said the meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. The two leaders are on the same page for the sake of the state and party, he added.

CM to consult high command

• Sources say Navjot’s re-induction into the Cabinet should happen before the end of the month before he leaves for campaigning in West Bengal
• It is learnt that the CM will have a word with the party high command before making any formal announcement on Sidhu
• The appointment of Sidhu as PPCC president or elevating him as the Deputy CM is being ruled out by party sources close to the CM

Wilfe says MLA not in politics for any post

• Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Wednesday said her husband was not after any post but only wanted to serve the people of the state
• Navjot said she and her husband were not in politics for any perks. “Otherwise, he could have been a Union Minister,” she claimed, referring to his decision to quit the ruling BJP in 2016 PTI