New Delhi:Stunned by Navjot Singh Sidhu's letter of resignation as the chief of Punjab Congress, the party high command has decided to 'wait and watch' and give the cricketer-turned-politician some time as he is "an emotional person" and takes decisions instinctively. The party top brass is expected to hold a discussion with Sidhu today in a bid to resolve the crisis.
"We are maintaining a wait and watch policy as Navjot Singh Sidhu is an emotional person. His resignation has not been accepted by the party president and we have asked the state leadership to resolve the issue," a Congress leader said.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, too, termed Sidhu's resignation letter as an "emotional reaction". "Everything will be okay," Venugopal said when asked about Sidhu's resignation.
Party MLA Bawa Henry said Sidhu's resignation has not been accepted and the matter will be resolved soon. "Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation has not been accepted. The matter will be resolved soon. There are three-four issues. They are being discussed in the party forum. Party high command will resolve them," Henry told reporters.
Meanwhile, Punjab Ministers Pargat Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring met Sidhu at his residence in Patiala. "There are some minor issues that arose out of some misunderstandings and will be resolved tomorrow," Warring told reporters while leaving Sidhu's residence yesterday.
Also read:Congress high command rejects Sidhu's resignation
However, political leaders from the Congress and outside, criticised Sidhu for his decision.
Congress leader Sunil Jakhar, whom Sidhu had dethroned to occupy the PCC chief post sometime ago, said “what stands compromised was the faith reposed in him by the Congress leadership”.
"It’s just not cricket! What stands compromised in this entire ‘episode’ is the faith reposed in the (outgoing?) PCC President by the Congress Leadership. No amount of grandstanding can justify this breach of trust placing his benefactors in a peculiar predicament," Jakhar said in a tweet.
The kind of politics that going on in Punjab was unfortunate, and since it is a sensitive border state, Pakistan may try to fish in the troubled waters, Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari said.
"Punjab is going on with anger against the farm laws and in these circumstances the politics going on in the state can have serious security implications on the state's stability," Tewari, who originally hails from Punjab, said.
He said during the militancy, Punjab lost around 25,000 people, mostly Congress workers and the apprehensions are that the deep state in Pakistan may try to use its machinery to destabilise things.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal called Sidhu a "misguided missile" that does not know its destination.
"I had earlier said Navjot Singh Sidhu is a misguided missile that does not know where it will go or will kill whom. He first destroyed Captain Amarinder Singh by becoming Punjab Congress president. Then, wiped out his party," Badal told the media.
Taking a dig at Sidhu, Badal said the former should go to Mumbai in order to save Punjab. "Even I had warned about the kind of person Sidhu is. Every kid in Punjab knows that. He is an egoistic man. If Punjab is to be saved then I request Sidhu Sahib to go to Mumbai," he added.
BJP leader Tarun Chugh said Sidhu resigned as he was unable to see a person from the Scheduled Caste community becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab. He alleged that Sidhu was "hungry" for the chief minister's post.
Also read:5 reasons for Navjot Singh Sidhu's resignation as state Congress president
"Why can't a Scheduled Caste person take decisions regarding formation of the cabinet. Navjot Singh Sidhu is hungry for the post of chief minister. He is not able to bear that a person from SC community has become the CM. Why should Sidhu get to decide ministerial berths," he asked.
Tweeting his resignation letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Sidhu had on Tuesday written, "The collapse of a 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 the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Will continue to serve the Congress
A series of resignations poured in after Sidhu's resignation. A minister and three Congress leaders, considered close to Sidhu, stepped down from their posts delivering a big blow to the Congress high command that was hoping of resolving the tussle between Sidhu and captain Amarinder Singh after Navjot was appointed as Punjab Congress President ahead of the Assembly elections early next year. Punjab Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana resigned from her ministerial post in "solidarity" with Sidhu. While Gautam Seth resigned as General Secretary (in-charge training) of Punjab Congress, Yoginder Dhingra resigned as General Secretary of the party's state unit. State party treasurer Gulzar Inder Chahal also stepped down from his post.
