JOIN USPeople at top want weak CM: Sidhu
With outgoing CM Charanjit Channi ostensibly pulling ahead in the race for the Congress CM face, state Congress chief Navjot Sidhu has created a buzz saying that those ‘at the top want a weak Chief Minister’ who would sing to their tunes.
“The top wants a weak CM. They want a CM who will sing to their tunes. Naach meri bulbul tujhe paisa milega (Dance my bulbul you will get money),” Sidhu said addressing his supporters on his return after paying obeisance at the holy Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu.
Sidhu’s media advisors, however, were quick to discount the statement saying that the leader’s words have been picked out of context and were not directed towards the Congress high command, instead were targeted towards the Centre.
Sidhu is keen on being named the CM face and appears choosing his words deftly. While the Congress may prefer naming its CM face close to the date of polling on February 20, indications are that the party could name its chief ministerial candidate on Sunday when Rahul Gandhi addresses a virtual rally in Punjab.
On a day when the enforcement directorate arrested Channi’s nephew for his alleged involvement in an illegal sand mining case, Sidhu raised eyebrows after he seemingly fired a fresh salvo at Channi.
Campaigning in his home constituency of Amritsar east, Sidhu on Friday said the party must choose someone honest and with a clean track record. He said if you choose someone devoid of moral authority, devoid of ethics or someone who is dishonest and part of some corruption and mafia, then people will vote for change. A ‘mafia-type person’ cannot implement your programmes, he said.
As Sidhu did not name anyone, it is unclear if his narrative was targeted at Channi or the previous governments including that of the Badal’s or Capt Amarinder Singh. Sidhu’s statement comes close on the heels of former congress chief Sunil Jakhar’s statement where he said that Channi got the support of only 2 MLAs, while he was favoured by 42 out of 79 Congress legislators as Capt’s replacement.
Sidhu owes strong allegiance to the Gandhi family. While both Channi and Sidhu have promised to honour the choice of the party leadership in naming its CM face, it remains to be seen if the two leaders walk the talk.
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