Sidhu Latest Theoretical Comedy: Quiiting As Punjab Congress Party Chief

The crisis in Punjab Congress will be far from over as long as maverick Navjot Singh Sidhu stays in the party and at the helms of the affairs. In his latest theoretical comedy, Sidhu has resigned as Punjab Congress chief within months of taking over. As he was the personal choice of Gandhi family -head of Congress- his resignation has even shocked them. He had taken charge in July this year.

Sidhu resignation has further fueled the turmoil instead of ending it just ahead of the assembly elections early next year. Sidhu had taken charge of the party in Punjab in July this year .Sidhu's resignation as Punjab Congress Chief has plunged the party into a deep crisis just four months before assembly polls.

The comedian-turned-politician has hinted at his unhappiness at the ongoing changes to the Punjab cabinet in his resignation letter . "The collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner. I can never compromise on Punjab's future and the agenda for the welfare of Punjab. Therefore, I hereby resign as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. I will continue to serve the Congress, said Navjot Sidhu, in his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, which he posted on social media.

Navjot Sidhu, was also unhappy over his rival SS Randhawa being assigned a key ministry. The double use of the word "compromise" in Mr Sidhu's resignation letter was read as a clue that he was asked to accept some unpleasant choices in the cabinet shuffle.

It goes to Sidhu credit (dis) that wherever he remained, he only courted controversies and aleways created uneasiness. During his stay in BJP, he was deadly set against Akali-BJP alliance and was very uncomfortable with Sukhir Badal, SAD party president and then deputy Chief Minister. Undoubtedly, he is a missile but as rightly said by SAD president Sukhbir Badal, " 'a misguided one' fired randomly that could harm anyone.

It is believed that Sidhu was upset about the key home ministry being assigned to Deputy Chief Minister SS Randhawa, his rival. Earlier, he had stalled the elevation of Randhawa as Chief Minister following Amarinder Singh's resignation.

And the happiest man over the dramatic resignation of Navjot Sidhu is former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He had tweeted: "I told you so...he is not a stable man and not fit for the border state of Punjab." The octogenarian leader stacked up more digs at Navjot Sidhu's resignation within two months of taking over the vital post was "sheer drama" suggesting that he is preparing to quit the Congress and join hands with another party ahead of polls early next year.

Capt. Amarinder Singh is right in his assessment of Navjot Sidhu. The highly ambitious Sidhu was dreaming about getting the top post after Capt. had quit but it was Charanjit Singh Channi who had beaten out the Sidhu by sheer political arithmetic of caste-driven electoral battle. Congress wanted to drive the political mileage out of a Dalit vote bank-the largest in Punjab. Channi, not Sidhu suited the party arithmetic on the eve of assembly elections.

However, Congress can hardly afford to loose Sidhu after displacing the party tallest state leader Capt.Amarinder Singh. All it can do at this critical juncture is to win over former Chief Minister who is annoyed with the party for choosing his bete noire Navjot Sidhu as state party chief during his tenure despite his strong opposition.

Its a choice between devil and deep blue sea. Congress can do better without Sidhu but can't without two time Chief Minister Capt. Amrinder Singh who rode the party to landslide victory in last assembly elections.

Sidhu can never be a Volodymyr Zelensky the comedian who is currently the Ukrainian president. Zelensky had won the election with 73.2% of the vote defeating his rival Poroshenko.

(Chander Sharma)