A major controversy has erupted in Punjab politics after Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, made explosive allegations about the financial dealings required to secure the chief minister's position within her party. Her statements have drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum, putting the Congress's internal dynamics under a harsh spotlight.
The Explosive Allegation: A "Suitcase" for the Top Job
Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on Saturday evening after meeting Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Navjot Kaur Sidhu dropped a political bombshell. She stated that while she and her husband had no money to offer any party, they possessed the vision to transform Punjab into a "golden state." When pressed on her husband's potential return to active politics, she set a clear condition: Navjot Singh Sidhu would only return if declared the chief ministerial face for Punjab.
She elaborated on the hurdles, pointing to intense infighting and the presence of "five CM faces" within the state Congress, all of whom, she claimed, were bent on defeating the party itself. The most startling claim came when she addressed the financial aspect of power. "We always speak for Punjab, but we do not have Rs 500 crore to secure the chief ministerial chair," she said. While clarifying that no one had directly demanded money from them, she alleged, "the one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore, he becomes the CM."
Opposition Seizes the Moment, Congress Reacts with Fury
The opposition was quick to capitalize on these remarks, using them to attack the Congress's credibility. Aam Aadmi Party's chief spokesperson, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, stated that Navjot Kaur had "spoken the truth," which he said exposed the Congress as the "most corrupt party in the country." He mocked the internal chaos, noting that with five people claiming to be chief minister, the party was deeply divided and weak.
The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a scathing attack on the Congress's moral standing. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said the statement revealed the "complete moral collapse" of the Congress under the leadership of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. He accused the party of reducing Punjab's politics to a "money-driven auction." State BJP president Sunil Jakhar added fuel to the fire, claiming he had learned "from the horse's mouth" that Rs 350 crore had been paid to secure the CM's chair in the past.
Within the Congress, senior leader and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa launched a fierce counterattack against the Sidhus. He questioned the family's objectives, suggesting they had joined the party with a specific mission that was now complete. "Will they tell us: when they took the Punjab Congress presidency, a position equivalent to the chief minister’s stature, whose suitcase did they hand over, and for how much?" he asked pointedly. Randhawa accused Sidhu of reading from an "opposition script" and suggested the party high command should happily show him the door.
Broader Implications for Congress's Punjab Revival
This public airing of grievances and corruption allegations deals a significant blow to the Congress's efforts to revive itself in Punjab after its defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections. In that election, Navjot Singh Sidhu not only resigned as state party chief but also lost his own seat, Amritsar East, to AAP's Jeevan Jyot Kaur. Navjot Kaur Sidhu's comments are widely seen as a subtle ultimatum to the party leadership, highlighting the persistent factionalism that continues to plague the state unit.
The episode underscores the challenges the Congress faces in presenting a united front. With multiple leaders vying for supremacy and such serious allegations being traded publicly by insiders, the party's strategy for Punjab appears in disarray. The remarks from a key figure's spouse have opened a Pandora's box, allowing opponents to frame the Congress as a party where leadership is commodified, further complicating its path to electoral recovery.
