A day after resigning as the Punjab Congress Committee chief, Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said that he will stand by his principles and never compromise on ethics and moral ground. In a video message, Sidhu said that the same system of “tainted leaders and officers” cannot be repeated, adding that his fight is for right and truth and he will continue doing it till his last breathe.
“No personal rivalry with anyone; 17 years of my political career has been for a purpose, to make difference, to take a stand and to make people’s lives better. This is my only religion,” the cricket-turned-politician said.
“I can’t compromise with my ethics, moral authority. What I witness is a compromise with issues, agenda in Punjab. I can’t disguise high command nor can I let them be disguised. I fought for issues concerning Punjab for a long time… There was a system of tainted leaders, officers, now you cannot repeat the same system again. I will stand by my principles,” he added.
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This comes a day after Sidhu, quit as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief, triggering other resignations and plunging the party into a fresh crisis just months ahead of the assembly elections. Party sources said the top leadership has not accepted Sidhu’s resignation and has instead asked the state leadership to first try to resolve the matter on its level.
Sidhu, 57, who announced his resignation shortly after the allocation of portfolios to the new ministers, said he remains with the party. He was appointed the party’s state unit president on July 18 amid a bitter power tussle with Amarinder Singh, who stepped down as the CM 10 days back while accusing the party high command of humiliating him.
Sidhu didn’t elaborate why he has quit. But speculation in party circles ranges from his displeasure over the allocation of the home portfolio to Deputy CM Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to the appointments of the acting police chief and the state advocate general by the new CM.