Among many interesting things to witness during the ensuing Punjab assembly election, the fight over Amritsar East segment would be the most enthralling event, as it dwells direct confrontation of Navjot Singh Sidhu with all other political parties and leaders, including Indian National Congress, thus making political pundits and observers to show keen interest at this high-profile assembly segment.
This seat even holds more significance than that of the segment from where incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is contesting. Political observers in Punjab are keenly looking at this assembly seat to decipher why Navjot Singh Sidhu has so much opposition, including that of Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) chairman Captain Amarinder Singh down the ladder Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who have put in resources to defeat Sidhu. Even some local Congress leaders are reportedly active to defeat him, thus it would be an interesting bout to watch, who will wade through this arduous fight.
Navjot has announced that if Congress comes to power in Punjab in this election, he would demolish all the cartels and mafias such as drug mafia, liquor mafia, transport mafia, mining mafia, land grabbers mafia, and much more. All kingpins of these mafias are pumping in money and muscle power to defeat Navjot Sidhu. If Sidhu is defeated all these mafias would continue to proliferate in Punjab as was during SAD-BJP’s ten years of the rule followed by four and a half years of Capt. Amarinder Singh ruled in Punjab. All these high end vested interests’ involvement in this contest has made this contest unique and very different from the 116 other constituencies of Punjab.
Navjot Sidhu, an international Sikh gentleman, is a cricketer turned high-profile politician with his fan following transcending borders. He has a great acceptance in Pakistan as a cricketer, as India’s opener batsman. He is handsome and has a great dressing sense, which otherwise very few Sikhs have. His selection of colours for his well-strapped turbans also reflects his awareness about dressing before going in public is a matter one is compelled to appreciate. He appears to be very fond of wearing Salwar and kameez, with Peshawari jutti (Shoes). Then by default, he got the tag of having his mind and hand behind the opening of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor (KSC) for Darshan of the first Sikh Guru Nanak Devji’s abode, where he had spent his last 17 years of his pious and saintly spiritual life on the bank of Ravi.
Construction of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor (KSC), a great passage where once Guru Sahib had been moving around, gave him the biggest jump in his political life that galvanized him and Navjot Singh Sidhu has emerged as the tallest Sikh leader in the world.
Ex-Minister Bikram Majithia with his brother-in-Law Sukhbir Badal
Despite having so many attributes to his kitty, Navjot is defiant and also arrogant to the core, too conscious of his self-righteousness. He carries an unblemished political career of 17 years, winning five elections and turning his back to Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which introduced him to the world of politics, and joined his father's political party the Indian National Congress (INC). With such high-profile assets and persona, he (Sidhu) appears to have harmed the Congress more than contributing to building the chances for the win of the Congress party under the leadership of Charanjit Singh Channi as Congress party’s face for the Chief Minister position. It would not be wrong to say here that Sidhu has hardly reconciled to Channi being the CM’s face. Navjot Sidhu’s daughter Rabbia Kaur, a Designer from Mumbai, as arrogant as her father, made a blistering attack on Channi questioning his status as being an aam adami at a press conference reflects the mind of Sidhu and his family because his wife Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu was also present there.
In this election, he is challenged by former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) minister Bikranm Singh Majithia. Majithia’s political career does not have much to highlight except that he is on time-bound bail in an alleged drug cartel case and will surrender before that court on 23rd February three days after the Punjab polls are closed on 20th February.
Majithia has earned some fame just because of his brother-in-law Sukhbir Singh Badal. His name was first figured in a drug case when Niranjan Singh of Jalandhar Enforcement Directorate (ED) was interrogating the arrested Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Bhola. SAD was in alliance with BJP at the centre and then finance Minister Arun Jaitley rescued him by transferring Niranjan Singh from Jalandhar.
It was during the SAD-BJP government, there was a sudden rise in the vacation of disputed prized residential properties in Ludhiana city. The police had used their skills to get them vacated and sell off these properties. The key man, a restaurant owner who was instrumental in locating and identifying disputed properties was said to be Majithia’s man. Later, he was murdered in a mysterious circumstance.
Several videos are viral on social media talking and discussing Majithia’s political activities during ten years of SAD-BJP rule in Punjab, bringing before the public amusing facts.
It is a shrewd strategy of Badals to post him in Amritsar East to contest against Navjot Sidhu. Bikram Majithia has gained support from many wealthy persons, who are eagerly waiting for the defeat of Navjot Sidhu. In fact, Capt. Amarinder Singh was the first top leader to announce that he would work for the defeat of Navjot Sidhu.
Besides, Majithia, BJP is too keen to see Navjot Sidhu defeated, and its candidate is a retired IAS Jagmohan Singh Raju (BJP) of Tamil Naidu cadre, and new to the city. Jiwanjot Kaur is Aam Adami Party candidate besides five other candidates including Harpal Singh SAD (Amritsar).
Navjot has announced that if Congress comes to power in Punjab in this election, he would demolish all the cartels and mafias such as drug mafia, liquor mafia, transport mafia, mining mafia, land grabbers mafia, and much more. All kingpins of these mafias are pumping in money and muscle power to defeat Navjot Sidhu. If Sidhu is defeated all these mafias would continue to proliferate in Punjab as was during SAD-BJP’s ten years of the rule followed by four and a half years of Capt. Amarinder Singh ruled in Punjab. All these high end vested interests’ involvement in this contest has made this contest unique and very different from the 116 other constituencies of Punjab.
Because of the involvement of mafias in the Amritsar East election, this high-profile contest has become bigger. If Sidhu wins and Congress comes to power, the mafias would feel the heat. Otherwise, the mafia would shine, as usual, affecting people’s life manifold.
This time Amritsar East Segment does not appear to be a cakewalk for Navjot Sidhu