Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday questioned the timing of the Enforcement Directorate’s recent raids and termed it as political vendetta, but said he was not giving clean chit to anyone. Sidhu further said that his party will win at least 70 of the 117-assembly seats in the upcoming state assembly elections if a clear agenda for the state is included in the election manifesto.
Responding to a question on the Enforcement Directorate’s raids at several places, including that of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s nephew, Sidhu hit out at the BJP-led Center over the raids and said the ED acted almost four years after the case was registered. , He said that he had been sleeping for four years and when the state assembly elections neared, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids.
When asked whether he was giving clean chit by questioning the timing of ED’s raids, Sidhu said, “I am not giving any clean chit.” Please do not misunderstand me. I am not giving clean chit to anyone. Let the law take its course. If you can prove a link I’ll be the first to criticize. But if you are doing political vendetta then I am not with you. Because I know ED, CBI and agencies have been used politically. That is the fact. If they can prove a link then I will say what I have to say. But today it is clear that this is a political vendetta, Sidhu said in a select media interaction here.
The ED had said on Wednesday that it had seized over Rs 10 crore in cash, including around Rs 8 crore, from a relative of Channi during its raids in a money laundering case against illegal sand-mining operations in the poll-polled state. , The action was initiated after taking cognizance of a 2018 FIR of Nawanshahr (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district) police and some other such police complaints against some companies and individuals involved in the business of illegal sand mining in the state. Asked how many seats he is projecting in the coming elections, Sidhu said, “If the (election) manifesto includes a clear agenda then (we will win) 70 seats.
He said he would meet Congress leader and manifesto committee chairman Pratap Singh Bajwa regarding the election manifesto and said it would be released in the coming days. Notably, Navjot Sidhu is batting for his ‘Punjab model’, which is the roadmap for the state to be implemented after the party returns to power after the February 20 state assembly elections.
Responding to a question, Sidhu said people would not waste their votes on spent cartridges as they had targeted former chief minister Amarinder Singh and other rival leaders. Asked how he sees the 111-day long Charanjit Singh Channi-led Punjab government, Sidhu said, “It is just a trailer.” A film will be played.
Responding to another question, Sidhu said only one ticket per family would be given for the coming assembly elections, adding that it was the rule of the party high command. Notably, Rana Gurjit Singh’s son Inder Pratap Singh has announced to contest as an independent from Sultanpur Lodhi seat, from where sitting MLA Navtej Singh Cheema has been given party ticket.
Manohar Singh, brother of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had also announced to contest as an independent from Bassi Pathana seat. On being declared as the chief ministerial candidate, Sidhu said that he is not here for any post.
There is no aspiration and the only aspiration is this agenda (Punjab model). If this is the agenda then I am. If there is a roadmap to revive Punjab, I am there. I am not there for any position. Yes, if a post allows me to take decisions and the high command gives me authority, I will do justice to that post, be it minister, PPCC chief, whatever. But it has to give me decision-making power and I am happy with that.
He said that he is taking the “Punjab model” of Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to the people of the state. Sidhu further said, we are contesting 117 elections. Every seat has an election and when we fight 117 elections, there are challenges in every seat.
Voting for 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20 and counting of votes will be held on March 10.
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