CHANDIGARH: With 14 months left for the assembly elections in Punjab, all eyes are on cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu for his return to active politics.
His wife and party leader, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, said that Navjot Singh Sidhu will step into active politics if he is declared as Congress's CM face.
After meeting Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria yesterday on issues, including alleged deteriorating law and order in the state, Kaur claimed her husband is attached to the Congress and holds respect for the party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
"If it is declared as CM face, well and good, but otherwise, he is earning good money, and he is happy," she added.
Pointing towards 'infighting’ within the Punjab Congress, she claimed that already there are five leaders aspiring for the chief minister's position, and they would not let Sidhu come forward.
"If high command understands this, then it is a different matter," she said.
Kaur said they do not have money to give to any party but can transform Punjab into a "golden state".
"We always speak for Punjab and Punjabiyat, but do not have Rs 500 crore which we can give to sit in the chief minister's chair," she said.
When asked if anybody demanded money from them, she said nobody has demanded it, but the one who gives a suitcase of Rs 500 crore can become the CM.’’
When asked if the BJP gives him this responsibility, will Sidhu rejoin the BJP, she said, "I cannot comment on his behalf.’’
Former Punjab Congress president Sidhu has not been participating in the party's events and activities for the past many months, and did not campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
He had made a comeback to cricket commentary in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In April, Sidhu launched his YouTube channel, Navjot Sidhu Official, for sharing his life experiences, talking about cricket, commentary, motivation, and lifestyle.
When Sidhu was asked about returning to active politics, he had then said that time would tell, adding that he joined politics for people's welfare and it was never a business for him.
Sidhu has resigned from the post of Punjab Congress chief following the party's drubbing in the 2022 state assembly elections.
He had contested the high-profile Amritsar (East) assembly seat, but lost to Jeevan Jyot Kaur of AAP.
The former cricketer was elected as MLA in the 2017 assembly election from the Amritsar (East) assembly segment. Earlier, he was elected thrice as Member of Parliament from Amritsar, while his wife represented this assembly segment from 2012 to 2017.