A former Indian cricketer, then reticent opened up once he was at the commentary box. Those who have played with Navjot Singh Sidhu would vouch that the latter hardly spoke during his playing days.
But after calling it a day, Sidhu has never minced words. His one-liners are legendary and the shayaris make for an interesting listen every time he is on television. But with due respect, the ex-Indian opening batsman hasn't read the political pulse too well. Had it been so, he wouldn't have found himself hunting for a platform to relaunch his career on.
So, will he or won't he? Having quit the Rajya Sabha as a representative of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sidhu also a former Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar seems to be unsure of his political future. The bargaining with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hasn't reaped him any benefit as the former's convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal refuses to make the Sardar the party's CM face in the Punjab assembly elections due next year. Don't blame Kejriwal. He can't afford to antagonise his loyal lieutenants by backing an outsider and that also from a party he just can't tolerate.
It's all about being 'politically bang-on' and Sidhu finds himself staring at political darkness at this point of time. This reminds us of the 1996 tour to England, when Sidhu decided to catch the next flight back home midway because of differences with the then Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin. The Lion of Patiala did make a comeback into the Indian team only to play his last international match in 1999.The reason is simple: He had by then made more foes than well-wishers both in and outside the team.
Talk about his political career, Sidhu wasn't the happiest man on earth when he was asked to make way for Arun Jaitley for the Amritsar Parliamentary Constituency in 2014, which the current Finance Minister lost. Hurt and humiliated, Sidhu preferred to focus on his TV career instead of trying to strengthen his position in BJP. As luck would have it, the 'injustice' done to him was made up by the party when he made it to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket. But all hell broke loose, when he resigned, apparently because BJP was reluctant to entrust him with bigger responsibilities (read leading the party's campaign in the Punjab elections).
It's well-known that Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal of Shiromoni Akalai Dal (SAD), with which BJP is in alliance in the north-Indian state doesn't hold Sidhu in high esteem. Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, also a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly doesn't share an excellent rapport with the Badal family.
If he were deprived by BJP, AAP too doesn't want to take the risk of going into the Punjab elections with Sidhu in the forefront. Despite being an international celebrity, it's political immaturity and on top of it lack of charisma which go against the cricketer-turned-politician. BJP wouldn't commit a blunder by over hyping Sidhu that would earn the party the wrath of Badal. Similarly, AAP isn't unaware of the fact that Sidhu is a political novice vis-a-vis Amarinder Singh of Congress and Badal of SAD-BJP.
Under the current circumstances, Sidhu needs to introspect and meticulously plan his next course of action. The blunders as a cricketer have cost his career dear, but on a political field, he has to understand that he can't trust even his own shadow. More importantly, it's imperative that he has a clear-cut assessment of his political acumen. Both his wife and he are keeping options open it seems. Mrs. Sidhu despite standing by her husband, took part in BJP's Tiranga Yatra. However, BJP's doors are almost closed on the former Indian cricketer, if media reports are to be taken seriously. So, what does Sidhu do now?
Walking down the track and hitting it over the top was never a tough ask for Sidhu. But political juggernauts pose a different challenge to him. There's no doubt, he has over estimated his political prowess. And in the process, he has rubbed too many political heavyweights the wrong way. The earlier he understands it, the better it is for him.
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