Chandigarh: The Punjab Congress has suspended Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu from the party’s primary membership following her controversial remarks on the chief minister’s post. The suspension orders were issued by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday.
Dr Sidhu had told reporters outside the Punjab Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on December 6 that the chief minister’s chair “should have Rs 500 crore”, a statement that triggered political uproar within the party. Her comments have dominated internal discussions for the past two days, with several leaders reacting sharply and exchanging remarks against one another.
The controversy deepened as Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, alleged that a suitcase containing Rs 500 crore was required to become the chief minister of Punjab. The claim created a storm in state politics and heightened tensions within the Congress.
The former MLA had met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday evening and raised concerns over the law and order situation in the state. Although she did not name any political party while making her allegation, she said Navjot Singh Sidhu would return to active politics only if he was projected as the Congress’s chief ministerial face.
