Navjot Sidhu’s ‘ghar wapsi’ into Congress may appear as a bad news for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) combine but it is certainly one of the best Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could have got in the run-up to Punjab Assembly election 2017. Reason: Every time the cricketer-turned-comedian-turned-politician would attack AAP or BJP during the election campaign, Sidhu would find he is facing fire from two posts. As a cricketer, the former Indian batsman can face a bowler from one end. Can he face two bowlers of different teams from the same end at once?
On several occasions in past, Sidhu has riled Congress leaders including party president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. For instance, in a 2013 video going viral on Youtube, Sidhu can be heard mocking Manmohan Singh as a “kameena” (rascal). “He may be a Sardar, but he is not ‘asardar'” (effective).”
In the coming days, several such videos, already doing the rounds on social media, would not only prove that Sidhu is not a man of his words but also an opportunist with just words as his prime weapon.
By accepting Sidhu, Congress appears to have scored a self-goal as the upcoming election in the Punjab would be fought on principles and new promises. AAP is already on a moral high ground with its new promises and Kejriwal’s popular image as an incorruptible leader in the state, while the SAD-BJP is facing huge anti-incumbency wave. This explains why Congress state chief Captain Amarinder Singh was reluctant in having Sidhu in his party.
After spending several years in the BJP, Sidhu on Monday said he was a born Congressman back to his roots. In the last few months, Amarinder Singh had mocked Sidhu for being a non-serious politician. Consider this: On October 19 last year, Amarinder said, “The media has made Sidhu some sort of a demigod. He is just another clown like (Punjab AAP convener) Gurpreet Ghuggi and (AAP MP) Bhagwant Mann. They are non-entities.”
However, on Monday the Congress Chief Minister candidate in the state justified Sidhu’s induction in the party. “If two nations can resolve issues sitting across table then why can’t two individuals,” he said.
Sidhu’s admission to Congress has once again proved that not all politicians stick to what they say.
Interestingly, 2017 is different from the past. With the emergence of leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Kejriwal, people are increasingly expecting their politicians to walk the talk. Sidhu would have to play on the backfoot in this regard. He may serve the Congress better by remaining silent.
During the campaign, the Congress may be hoping to bank on Sidhu’s oratory skills. That the former cricketer may be able to polarise voters in favour of the Congress party with his arousing speeches. It is highly unlikely this gamble would pay off for Congress as well as Sidhu. For elections are not just about speeches, and leaders are not just about their ability to hold the attention of people with their antics. And as far as doing comedy on stage is concerned, AAP has better and professional comedians in its ranks in the form of Bhagwat Singh Mann and Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi.
Sidhu’s entry to Congress has already triggered jokes like ‘Udta Sidhu’. With his new political adventure, he may just end up making AAP and Kejriwal fly.