Punjab elections: Sidhu says love for state double than love for Congress

Day after Charanjit Singh Channi declared Congress CM face, state party chief says never desired post, only wants to serve people

A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced Charanjit Singh Channi’s name as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the February 20 elections, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had been lobbying for the post, said that he “never desired to hold any designation but only wants to serve the people of the state”.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu interacting with people while campaigning in the Amritsar East constituency that goes to the polls on February 20. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

“My love for Punjab is double than the love for the Congress high command,” a humbled Sidhu said while campaigning at Mudhal village in his Amritsar East constituency on Monday.

“I only desire to serve the god who lives in every human, and most importantly for changing Punjab. If we talk about change, the fight will continue, and having any designation or not is not important. It was to be decided by the high command, and whatever it has decided is acceptable. But if there is a fight for policies and accountability, or a talk about bringing about a change in people’s life, Navjot Singh Sidhu will continue to walk on that path of righteousness and truth. Many tyrants came, but the path of truth was never defeated,” Sidhu said.

‘No copyright on Punjab Model, will stand by Congress’

Replying to a query about his Punjab Model, Sidhu said, “It a joint model of Punjab and I don’t have a copyright on it. If my true desire is to do good for the people, then it clearly means that anyone can take any good thing from the Punjab Model. I don’t have any objection. I will post my Punjab Model on my Facebook page and also hold a press conference. I have already given it to the Congress. But the power to implement it is now with Channi Sahib.”

On corruption and sand mining charges against Channi, Sidhu said, “The opposition can say anything. Whatever we had to do, we have done, and now the decision is in the hands of the people. I stood by the Congress and will continue to stand by it.”

Asked if he was with Channi or the high command, Sidhu said, “I was with the high command from Day 1 and will accept every decision of it. But as much as I am with the high command, the double I am with Punjab. Today, the fight is between honesty and corruption. On one side is a mafia and on the other side is Navjot Singh Sidhu and people like him. Oppressors may be more than the oppressed, but the oppressed should be increased.”

Says Majithia no match, fight is with Badals

Targeting his Shiromani Akali Dal rival and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia, he said, “People know him (Majithia) well. Where was he all these years? He was selling chitta (drugs), looting Punjab, digging sand, selling liquor and registering fake FIRs.”

Sidhu said that Majithia was no match for him but his fight was against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and SAD chief and former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. “We will defeat the Badals. Your government will not be made at any cost, for the fight in Punjab is between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress. They (Badals) are accused of sacrilege. They are mafia and looters of Punjab.”

He termed the Badal father and son Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana and said, “Sukhbir made five-star hotels, ran 6,000 buses and looted the state during the SAD’s tenure. Now the mafia are fearing what will happen if Sidhu comes.”