Navjot Kaur’s role in Capt-Sidhu rift added fuel to fire
Sunday, 21/07/2019
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AMRITSAR: As chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh accepted the resignation of Navjot Singh Sidhu, the role of the former cricketer’s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, in the tussle between her husband and the CM cannot be ignored.
Kaur has had a history of being vocal and outspoken against the government, even when she herself is a part of the establishment.
In 2015, as BJP MLA from Amritsar (East) and a chief parliamentary secretary, she had gone on a ‘fast till death’, staging a sit-in on the Bhandari Bridge in support of her demand for release of funds for the development of her constituency.
After joining the Congress too, she repeatedly questioned the performance and functioning of the Capt government in TV interviews. The other two major issues that she raised, leading to acrimony were her failure to assume charge as chairperson of the Punjab Warehousing Corporation and the Congress’ rejection of her claim for a party ticket from Chandigarh in this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
‘MY WIFE WILL NEVER LIE’
Kaur’s allegation that Amarinder and Punjab Congress affairs in-charge, Asha Kumari, ‘had played a role’ in denying her the Lok Sabha ticket from Chandigarh, added to the tussle. Sidhu had backed her accusation, saying “My wife has that much strength and moral authority that she will never lie.”
Responding strongly to the allegations and refuting them, Amarinder had dubbed these as ‘absolute nonsense’. The CM added that Kaur was offered a ticket from Amritsar and Bathinda, but she turned down the offer.
“We had said that if she wants, she can fight from Amritsar, from where her husband had been an MP, or she can contest from Bathinda. She herself backed off. Where did we stop it?,” Amarinder had said.
Kaur had also retorted angrily to a media query on speculation that her husband’s portfolio could be changed.
“We will see when it is changed,” she had said, adding that it was the party high command that changed portfolios. This statement was seen as a challenge to the CM’s authority. She had even added, “If the report card of any other minister is better than ours or ours is not good, the CM Sahib can take any decision.”
