People at top want a weak CM: Sidhu

CHANDIGARH: “People at the top want a weak CM” who will “sing their tunes”, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said on Friday, apparently taking a dig at the party leadership before Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state to name the party’s CM-pick on Sunday.


Sidhu’s remarks became a talking point as he and CM Charanjit Singh Channi are locked in a tense battle to become the “CM candidate” ahead of the state’s February 20 assembly elections. But the party tried to deflect attention, saying Sidhu was referring to BJP. Also, Sidhu later said he was quoted out of context.

“People at the top want a weak CM. They want a CM who will sing their tunes. Do you want such a CM?” Sidhu was heard saying in a video from a public meeting in Amritsar, while his supporters were seen shouting: “Hamara CM kaisa ho, Navjot Sidhu jaisa ho.”

The clip quickly went viral, prompting him to make a rejoinder: “My statement has been distorted, there are chief ministers who have danced to the tunes of the Centre like puppets even if they don’t like the tune.”

Sidhu said the Congress high command is intelligent and will look into all angles before making a decision. He said he will accept the top leadership’s decision. “Everyone can't become chief minister. How can you become CM without MLAs?”

The comments followed Congress’s plan to deviate from its past strategy of not nominating a CM before the polls. Both Channi and Sidhu insisted that the party will do well if Punjab’s voters have the clarity on who will be CM. The party called for feedback from its workers and supporters to choose between Sidhu and Channi through televoting—a much-debated method that AAP adopted to pick its Sangrur MP Bhagwant Singh Mann as the party’s CM face for Punjab. It was reported on Thursday that Channi was leading the poll of more than 50 lakh responses so far.

Sidhu kept the fire going against Channi in separate remarks through the Friday. “If you want a new Punjab, it is in the hands of the CM. You have to choose the CM this time. If you choose an honest man, then honesty will percolate down. Two chief ministers ruined the state in the past 25-30 years. This time you have to choose the CM,” he said.

Then speaking to a news channel, he said: “We need an honest candidate…A ‘mafia-type person’ cannot implement your programmes.” His comments were seen as a direct attack on Channi on a day the CM faced a setback as the Enforcement Directorate arrested his nephew in a case of illegal sand mining.

For his part, Channi said he will support whoever Rahul Gandhi names as the CM candidate. “The same commitment has been made by Sidhu and we will honour it,” he said in Bhadaur.

Congress’s Punjab in-charge Harish Choudhary confirmed that Gandhi will announce the CM candidate during a virtual rally in Ludhiana on Sunday. He also asked people to listen to Sidhu’s full statement from the Amritsar rally. “He is not talking about Congress, but about the Narendra Modi-led BJP. Both Sidhu and Channi have promised they will support whoever is chosen as CM nominee.”

Besides Channi and Sidhu, Congress supporters voting their choice were given a third option — whether the party should go without a CM candidate and showcase the collective leadership in the state.


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