NEW DELHI: Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had agreed to continue as the party’s Punjab chief after meeting Rahul Gandhi on Friday, has sought an audience with Sonia Gandhi to present a 13-point agenda for the development of the state.
Sidhu, whose moves have often left both party colleagues and opponents surprised, posted a letter to Sonia Gandhi on Twitter, in which he mentions tackling the drug menace, justice in cases of sacrilege and more representation to backward castes among areas on which the government needed to work.
In his letter, posted on Twitter on Sunday but dated October 15, Sidhu mentions that he had campaigned for the party in 55 seats during the 2017 Assembly polls and of these Congress had won 53.

Claiming that this was Punjab’s last chance of “resurrection” Sidhu said that the state, which was richest in the country for decades, is now the “most indebted”. Punjab has nearly one lakh government posts vacant but the state with its measly resources was struggling to fill them up, he mentioned.
In the letter, Sidhu mentions 13 points of which “justice for sacrilege” is the first demand.
“People of Punjab demand justice for Punjab’s soul by punishing the main culprits behind sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib ji and police firing incidents at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura,” Sidhu wrote in the letter.
Earlier, Charanjit Singh Channi had become Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister after Amarinder Singh was removed. However, the transition was not smooth and differences between Sidhu and Channi cropped up as soon as the new regime started functioning.
One of Sidhu’s differences with Channi has been over the appointment of state DGP IPS Sahota and Advocate General APS Deol. Both the officers would be instrumental in handling key issues including the sacrilege. Sidhu has, however, expressed his lack of confidence in them.
Another demand raised by Sidhu, in his letter to Sonia Gandhi, is that the “big fish” behind the drug menace in the state should be caught. Among other demands, Sidhu has mentioned ensuring affordable electricity to people, tackling unemployment and betterment for backward sections.
On representation to weaker sections, Sidhu said there should be at least one ‘Mazhbi Sikh’ in the cabinet while also seeking inclusion of Dalits from Doaba region and also more backward castes.
Sidhu has also demanded that Punjab should bring the liquor trade under a state-run corporation. Sidhu has also sought a better system to regulate sand mining in the state. Another of his demands is to “break the back of the cable mafia“, which he alleged was being run by the “Badals”.
Sidhu claimed that this must be the last damage control exercise if the state has to be brought back from the brink of “no return”. The maverick cricketer said he favoured hard decisions to rectify the situation but because of his stance, powerful people associated with mafia disliked him.
Sidhu asked Sonia Gandhi to give directions to the Channi government with regard to these issues while also seeking a “personal audience” to present his vision for the development for the state.
Last month Sidhu had resigned as Punjab Congress president but agreed to continue after meeting Rahul Gandhi on Friday. After the meeting, Sidhu had said he has full faith in the leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and any decision taken by her will be acceptable.