'Born Congressman' Sidhu keeps CM hopes alive

Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday declared himself a “born Congressman”, hit out at Akali Dal’s Badal family and sparked a laugh riot at the AICC headquarters with his trademark ‘Sidhuisms’.

Despite the witty one-liners, the cricketer-turned-politician kept the Congress guessing over his chief ministerial ambitions saying he would abide by the “suggestions” of the Congress high command.

“Gehu khet main, beta pet main aur tum byaah ki taiyari kar rahe ho? (The wheat is in the fields, the child is yet to be born and you are making preparations for the wedding),” he quipped to persisted questions on becoming the chief minister.

Sidhu, who quit the BJP last year, admitted to having differences with Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh, but said the same could be sorted out by sitting across the table.

“In politics there is bound to be difference of opinion, but can’t the differences be sorted out sitting across a table? Even two warring countries can sort out differences by sitting across the table,” he said.

Sidhu praised Amarinder for taking on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on his home-turf of Lambi.

After tough negotiations with the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress, Sidhu finally joined the Grand Old Party on Sunday at party vice president Rahul Gandhi’s residence.

At the AICC headquarters, Congress leaders Ajay Maken, Asha Kumari and Ravneet Singh Bittu welcomed Sidhu into the party.

Sidhu’s 30-minute interaction with the press was marked with his trademark ‘Sidhuisms’. “Patience is bitter, but the fruit is sweet,” he quipped.

“Men of genius are admired, men of power are feared, but men of character are trusted,” he said, adding that his Congressman father wanted him to be a man of character.

Sidhu made a reference to the Ramayana to describe the political scene in Punjab. He saw the Congress as Kaushalya (Queen of Ayodhya), the BJP as Kaikeyi and the Akali Dal as Manthara, the hunchback  maid in Ramayana who was instrumental in sending Rama into exile.

“Bhaag, baba Badal bhaag, khursi khaali kar (run, Badal, run, leave the chair),” Sidhu said, targeting the Badals.