Chandigarh, Dec 8:— The Congress on Monday suspended Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu from its primary membership days after she alleged that becoming Punjab’s Chief Minister required “a briefcase full of Rs 500 crore.”
The suspension letter, signed by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Amarinder Raja Warring, did not specify the reason. But party insiders said the leadership acted after concluding that her remarks had damaged the Congress during the ongoing Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
“Her statement caused a dent to the party at the national level as the BJP and AAP were using it against us,” a senior Congress leader said.
Dr. Sidhu, a former MLA and wife of Navjot Singh Sidhu, had also claimed that five chief ministerial aspirants within the party were “pulling down” the organisation. Her comments triggered demands from several senior leaders that the Sidhu couple be removed from the party.
Party sources said the action was meant to restore discipline and send a message to disgruntled leaders who have publicly questioned the state leadership in recent months.
Dr. Sidhu, who met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday to raise concerns over law and order, told reporters that the party was facing internal infighting. She also said her husband would return to active politics if the Congress declared him as its chief ministerial face.
She later attempted to clarify her comments, saying “a twist” had been given to her statement and insisting that “our Congress party has never demanded anything from us.” Earlier in the day, however, she told a television channel that a Tarn Taran candidate had allegedly paid money to the party’s top leadership.
