Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday announced the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab unit chief despite fresh protests by party MPs and some MLAs who had planned to meet her on Monday to oppose the plan.
Apart from Sidhu, four working presidents were appointed — Sangat Singh Gilzian, Sukhwinder Singh Danny, Pawan Goyal and Kuljit Singh Nagra.
The central leadership had put off the announcement in the evening, abruptly cancelling a scheduled press conference because of fresh objections, triggering concerns about the high command’s vulnerability under pressure.
While the members of Parliament met at the residence of former state president Partap Singh Bajwa ostensibly to discuss a strategy to raise the farmers’ issue, the main concern was the appointment of Sidhu as party chief. Sources said the dominant sentiment was that Sidhu didn’t have any connect with the organisation and why couldn’t an experienced leader like Bajwa be preferred if a Jat Sikh could be appointed party chief by violating the pragmatic idea of giving space to a Hindu leader.
The sudden emergence of the Bajwa factor is curious, demonstrating how political dynamics changes with situational logic. Bajwa has been the chief mnister’s main critic in the state ever since he had to relinquish his position of state chief before the last Assembly election. This was part of Captain’s condition and Bajwa, much before Sidhu turned a rebel, had been publicly taking a stand against
the chief minister on many issues. He was known as the anti-Captain pole in Punjab politics.
But Bajwa suddenly did a somersault and was seen at the chief minister’s residence on Saturday night. Party MP Manish Tewari, a diehard Captain loyalist, tweeted, “Good to see Partap Singh Bajwa and Captain together along with our honourable Speaker of assembly Rana KP Singh and Sports Minister Gurmeet Sodhi. Partap who I know since 1983 and Captain Sahib would make a good team for the times ahead. He is an old dyed in the wool Congressman.”
The metamorphosis of Bajwa’s bitterness towards Captain into “team” spirit was swift, indicating new grouping in the state to oppose Sidhu’s rise. Bajwa knows his space in state politics will shrink if Sidhu’s leadership is established and hence he jumped on the Captain bandwagon. A leader close to Sidhu suspected Bajwa sided with Captain in the hope of becoming the deputy chief minister and together they were creating confusion and blackmailing the high command. These MPs planned to meet Sonia on Monday to oppose Sidhu’s elevation.
Ten MLAs also issued a statement on Saturday asking the high command not to let down Captain at this critical juncture as he remained the biggest mass leader of the state. But the incumbent state chief Sunil Jakhar called a meeting of MLAs and district presidents of the state where a resolution was expected to be passed saying the entire Punjab unit was united behind the high command. Jakhar is the one who lost his position to Sidhu. His decision to call this meeting clearly manifested the divide in the Congress in Punjab.
Asked about the purpose of Monday’s meeting, Jakhar told The Telegraph over phone from Chandigarh (before the announcement of Sidhu’s appointment), “This is to clear the air. Discordant voices by vested interests have created an impression of split in the Punjab unit. We want to send out a clear message that the party is united behind the high command. There is no question of challenging Sonia Gandhi’s decision.”
This meeting could have showcased the division in the party as the attendance of district presidents and MLAs would have made it clear who stood where in this battle. The high command, however, prevented another tamasha by making the announcement on Sunday night itself. An MLA who didn’t wish to be identified, said: “The politics of blackmail will not succeed as majority of party workers and MLAs are determined to go with the high command. Three-four persons have conspired to create this impression of confrontation.”
Sidhu, who hardly ever lived in his ancestral home in Patiala for over a decade, has now shifted base there along with his wife, who is also a former MLA. Patiala is known as Captain’s fiefdom but the centre of gravity appeared to be shifting from his palace Motibagh even as office-bearers kept a distance from Sidhu. MLA Madanlal Jalalpur, known to be close to the Captain, however, hosted Sidhu and his team on Sunday, signalling crack in Captain’s citadel.
Sidhu hasn’t responded to Captain’s demand for a public apology so far though he is said to be willing to send out conciliatory messages. Many leaders in Delhi and Punjab believe the political vacuum had given space to politics of discord and blackmail and the central leadership should have cracked the whip by announcing Sidhu’s elevation right away. Some leaders, however, said Punjab would slip out of Congress hand as Captain’s insult would not be appreciated.
