They have shown me my place: Sidhu fumes at Congress
What's the story
Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu said he has been "shown his place" after he wasn't invited as a speaker at party President Rahul Gandhi's rally in Moga, Punjab, on Thursday. Sidhu, who has emerged as a valuable asset for Congress in recent months, reportedly said his exclusion from speakers' list proves who all will campaign for the party in upcoming elections. Here's more.
Rally
Backstory: RaGa launched poll campaign, Captain announced schemes
RaGa launched his party's poll campaign from the Punjab town on Thursday. He was joined by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on the stage. Singh launched a slew of schemes for landless farmers and claimed it would benefit nearly 2.85 lakh people of the state. Addressing the rally, RaGa said the upcoming elections would be a fight between ideologies.
What he said
Guru Nanak Dev's ideologies will fight RSS' this time: RaGa
RaGa said Guru Nanak Dev taught love and brotherhood to the entire world but his teachings were being attacked by RSS. "No work is being done to tackle the issues plaguing the country. Instead, people are being made to fight each other to cover up that failure," he said. Later, RaGa rushed to Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, to address another rally.
Disappointment
Sidhu wanted to speak on Balakot strikes but couldn't
While RaGa's words and Singh's schemes would have surely motivated Congress workers to work hard before elections, Sidhu remained distressed. The cricketer-turned-politician had apparently prepared material to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Balakot strikes but wasn't given a chance. He said he couldn't even speak to RaGa as the party president had a tight schedule.
Quote
Have been shown my place: Sidhu
"Whether I am invited to speak or not is something that is not under my control. But it has shown me my place and made it clear who all from the Congress will campaign for the party in the coming Lok Sabha polls," Sidhu said.
Reasons
Congress leader says Sidhu should have been invited
But why couldn't Sidhu speak? State Congress Chief Sunil Jakhar said it was an "oversight". "Rahul ji asked me if all had spoken when he (Rahul) was invited to speak. I told him I don't know as I had come with him," Jakhar added. State cooperation minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, whose department organized the event, said he was asked to name four speakers only.
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Randhawa says RaGa had to leave early
"I was told that Rahul ji was getting late for another rally at Kangra in Himachal so only Jakhar, the CM, Asha Kumari, and Rahul ji will speak. Had I been told Sidhu too is to be invited, I would have called him," Randhawa explained.
Bond
Notably, Sidhu is one of the "biggest fans" of RaGa
That Sidhu "adores and respects" RaGa is a known fact. After his visit to Pakistan for Imran Khan's swearing-in ceremony sparked a controversy, Sidhu had clarified he was only answerable to his "captain" RaGa. When Priyanka Gandhi took the plunge into active politics, Sidhu expressed immense confidence in the brother-sister duo. Considering their rapport, Sidhu's reaction to the latest events don't seem unwarranted.