Navjot Kaur says husband returns only if named Congress CM face; otherwise, he's "happy" earning privately.
Claims ₹500 crore "suitcase" buys Punjab CM post, AAP, BJP demand Congress explanation on corruption charges.
Five rival CM aspirants blocking Sidhu, per Kaur; rivals exploit feud to paint party as money-driven.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on December 7, 2025, demanded that the Congress clarify remarks by Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, who alleged that securing the chief minister's post requires offering a "suitcase of ₹500 crore." The statement, made during a press interaction in Chandigarh on December 6, has ignited a fresh political row in Punjab, just 14 months before the 2027 Assembly elections.
Navjot Kaur, a Congress leader and former MLA, met Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to discuss law and order issues before addressing reporters. She stated that her husband would return to active politics only if the Congress high command declares him the chief ministerial candidate, emphasizing their commitment to "Punjabiyat" but lack of funds for such "offers." "We always speak for Punjab... but do not have ₹500 crore which we can give to sit in the chief minister's chair," she said, adding that while no one directly demanded money, "the one who gives a suitcase of ₹500 crore becomes the CM."
The comments expose simmering infighting within Punjab Congress, where Kaur claimed five leaders are already vying for the top post and "hell-bent on defeating the Congress." Sidhu, who stepped back from politics after losing the 2022 Amritsar East seat to AAP's Jeevan Jyot Kaur, has remained influential through social media and motivational talks but hinted at a potential BJP return if offered a similar role—though she deferred commenting on his behalf.
AAP chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal called the revelation "the truth," while BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh accused Congress of "money bag politics," stating Sidhu "could not pay" the alleged price. State BJP president Sunil Jakhar quipped that Congress has "five or six criteria" for CM selection, and Sidhu met many but failed the "preliminary round." Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa urged the high command to "bid farewell" to Sidhu before he rejoins BJP.
The controversy revives memories of Sidhu's 2021 rift with then-CM Charanjit Singh Channi and his brief 2022 stint as state chief, underscoring the party's challenges in uniting behind a single leader ahead of polls.
