What Congress gains with Sidhus, Pargat in Punjab?

Jalandhar : Facing a do or die battle in Punjab, the Congress is counting its gains post the high-profile joining of state MLAs Pargat Singh and Navjot Kaur Sidhu into party fold.Though the new entries have frayed some old nerves in the party, and some veterans are questioning the utility of importing outsiders at the eleventh hour, Congress’ central leadership is convinced the inductions will work to party’s benefit.
A section of Congress’ strategy team for Punjab feels the “pro-people and credible image of the Sidhus and former Indian hockey team captain Pargat Singh” will boost Congress’ prospects.
They say Navjot Sidhu, his wife Navjot Kaur, and Pargat Singh left the BJP and the Akali Dal on issues related to neglect of their constituencies, and people will value that.
Another section of Congress leaders, handling Punjab, feel Sidhus and Pargat Singh would have damaged the party immensely had they gone with the Aam Aadmi Party and winning them over has saved the Congress losses.
The prospect of Sidhus joining the AAP was quite real a few months ago until party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal opened the cards of cricketer-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu by tweeting about their meeting and plans.
It was then that the Sidhus began considering the Congress as an option though they kept their channels with the AAP open until a while back.
Congress strategist in Punjab, Prashant Kishor, was the one to push Sidhus’ case with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi who tasked his sister Priyanka with finalising the joining.Till then, Capt Amarinder Singh had mainly been rooting for Pargat Singh and not Sidhus. The Tribune has learnt that Priyanka Gandhi met Navjot Kaur Sidhu and Pargat Singh along with Kishor at 12 Tuglaq Lane, her brother’s residence, on November 23.
The same night Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh met the duo and announced their joining on Twitter. Strangely, a day prior to the announcement, Amarinder Singh had said he was visiting Delhi on November 23 for a meeting of the Congress screening committee for Punjab and had no information on the Sidhus.
A leader privy to developments said, “Congress’ central leaders worked to get Sidhus on board to contain the damage they would have done had they joined the AAP. We managed a fine balance ahead of polls. In politics, prevention of political loss is also gain.”The question now is whether Sidhu will formally join the Congress or will only campaign for it from outside. A section of Congress leadership still maintains Navjot Sidhu’s mind is not made up yet.“He may join or may campaign for us. It is up to him to decide ”a leader quipped two days after Navjot Kaur’s “two bodies-one soul” assertion on her husband’s entry to the Congress.On AAP attacking Sidhus and Pargat Singh for being opportunists who kept negotiating both ways for months, a Congress leader said, “It’s a case of sour grapes.”