Navjot Singh Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President, is among Congress' stalwart leaders and would be a key candidate of the grand old party in the forthcoming Punjab Assembly Elections 2022. He was born on October 20, 1963. Navjot Sidhu will be contesting election from Amritsar (East) constituency. Polling in Punjab will be held in one single phase on February 20. Navjot Singh Sidhu has been a professional cricketer and part of the Indian cricket team who retired from international cricket in 1999. Navjot Sidhu began his political innings with BJP and won the Lok Sabha election from the Amritsar seat in 2004. With many ups and downs during his tenure with BJP, Sidhu joined Congress in 2017 and since then has been part of the party. For over two years now, Sidhu has remained part of various controversies and in-party fighting. First, Sidhu was widely criticised for hugging Pakistan army chief and Imran Khan during the inauguration ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor while post that Sidhu has remained surrounded with in-party fighting in the Punjab unit of Congress. Sidhu upped the ante against former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in the quest to push himself for the top job in the state. Though, the Congress party did not elevate him as Chief Minister of state but made him the President of PPCC. In the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, Sidhu who is being constantly attacked by several party leaders from Amarinder Singh's camp is expected to face a tough contest, both from within the party and opposition. Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at several public platforms has challenged Sidhu saying that he will not let Sidhu become the next chief minister of Punjab as the latter is a threat to national security due to his closeness with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and its Army Chief.