The resignation of cricketer-turned-politician and habitual trouble-maker Navjot Singh Sidhu could be a blessing in disguise for Congress in Punjab. Faced with perennial roadblocks and bouts of resentment from Sidhu, this is the moment where the party high command could effectively think of a makeshift plan to put its house in order.
Miffed over the cabinet reshuffle and portfolio allocation, Sidhu wrote in his resignation letter: “The collapse of 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 president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress.”
Soon after accomplishing the ouster of the party's tallest leader in Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh from the chief minister's chair, Sidhu's quest to act as a 'Super CM' to Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab's first Dalit chief minister, received a setback. The grouse now is over the induction of Rana Gurjit Singh and allocation of Home portfolio to Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Public Works Department to Vijay Inder Singla. He also wanted a say in the appointment of bureaucrats.
Channi's bravado must be acknowledged here for refusing to go by Sidhu’s choice of portfolios while also freely taking his picks of bureaucrats like principal secretary, chief secretary, and the director-general of police. Channi’s defiance could be seen as a smart move to frustrate Sidhu and force his resignation so that the Dalit CM goes into elections as the face of the party without any further hiccups.
Congress has a crucial decision to make now. It had nothing to lose by forcing the exit of Capt Amarinder because of the mounting anti-incumbency wave against the old guard, coupled with his failure on issues. But clipping the wings of Channi at the behest of Sidhu does not bode well for the party. Having a 'Super CM' authority will again split ranks and Congress could end up fighting another internal battle ahead of elections.
Placating Sidhu at this juncture would mean that the CM will have to settle for the middle-ground, a move that could expose him as a rubber-stamp chief minister. If the high command considers replacing Channi to appease Sidhu, it would spell further disaster because the decision will not only antagonise the 32 per cent Dalit voters but also jeopardise the electoral math for the party.
Instead of proceeding with compromises, the party bosses could take the Sidhu resignation positively and zero down on a new face. Known for his witty one-liners, humour quotes and his political tantrums, Sidhu finds himself in "no-man's land" after his resignation as the State Punjab President and which should be seen as an 'opportunity' by the high command.
Till now, the shaky Punjab narrative has exposed the immaturity and lack of political judgement of the high command. The uncanny hesitancy with which the party leadership is moving shows that there is no decisive plan. With less than five months to go for State elections, the party cuts a sorry figure. When it should have been in campaign mode, it is busy trying to fight internal issues, a situation similar to the one faced in Goa.
