Sidhu & Sidhu send out mixed signals as Kaur goes aggressive, Navjot keeps Punjab guessing

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Yet, his recent public appearances and cryptic messaging hint that he may not be entirely out of the game. Written by: Raakhi Jagga6 min readUpdated: Apr 22, 2026 12:06 PM IST Navjot Kaur Sidhu with her husband, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT Punjab’s political landscape has a new entrant — the Bhartiya Rashtrawadi Party (BRP). The party, unheard of before in the political circles, has made the first ripples by announcing to contest all 117 Assembly seats when Punjab goes to polls in 2027. The announcement was made by Navjot Kaur Sidhu, the newly appointed president of the party and also its chief ministerial candidate. Kaur, a former MLA from Amritsar East wears several other identities too — a qualified doctor, cancer survivor, expelled Congress leader, and wife of Navjot Singh Sidhu. Though known for mostly speaking in one voice, the Sidhu couple in the recent past has been sending sharply contrasting signals. While Kaur has re-entered the political arena with renewed intensity, her husband and former Punjab Congress chief, continues to maintain a formal distance from active politics. Yet, his recent public appearances and cryptic messaging hint that he may not be entirely out of the game. Kaur, who formally joined the Bharatiya Rashtrawadi Party (BRP) as its Punjab president on April 6, wasted no time in setting an aggressive political tone. Addressing the media in Chandigarh on April 8, she declared, “I will unmask 37 Punjab politicians who indulge in corruption”. Though she did not take any names, the statement triggered political discussions. In the same interaction, she sought to clearly separate her political journey from that of her husband. “He is away from all this and never interferes in anything… he is busy in his cricket commentary work. We have to earn to run the house as we don’t have any other source of income,” she said. She added that since 2022 Assembly elections, Sidhu has neither reached out to the Congress nor has the party contacted him. Kaur’s recent political positioning has been marked by sharp criticism of both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, a party with which remained associated for nearly nine years before being shown the door over her outbursts. With Punjab government moving high court seeking to arrest Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh and continue to keep him in an Assam jail once his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) gets over, Kaur targetted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, asking what was he afraid of. “Do you hate Sikhs who fight against the system for revival of Sikhs and Punjab? Can you explain what is his fault….If he is guilty of something, bring it before the system,” she said on X. She has also taken aim at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, accusing him of failing to work for the welfare of Sikhs and not adhering to the directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar. She also raised questions over governance during the SAD-BJP tenure, a period when she herself was part of the government. Her attacks on AAP and SAD align with her party’s stance. Announcing that she has joined the BRP, Kaur had said like-minded individuals had come together through a “higher consciousness” to dedicate their lives to public service. She also spoke of healing “wounded souls” with guidance from spiritual masters who follow the path of “truth and love: the language of Waheguru Ji”, and emphasised on restoring Punjab’s “long-lost glory” as a “Golden State”; and ensuring governance rooted in selfless service, spiritual growth and “the energy of higher consciousness”. At the ideological level, Kaur is pitching BRP as a radical restructuring of Centre-state relations. She has advocated for “100 per cent control” of states over their affairs with minimal interference from central agencies like Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax, IAS and IPS lobbies, while suggesting the Centre should act only as a facilitator focused on defence, foreign policy, trade and broad regulatory frameworks. Her pitch also includes “hundred per cent solar energy” for Punjab, promising not just free electricity but a system where surplus power generated by households would be purchased by the government. Her combative political style is consistent with her past. As a BJP MLA from 2012 to 2016 and chief parliamentary secretary during that period, she drew attention for conducting a sting operation on government doctors to expose private practice. Her subsequent fallout with the BJP and later dissent within the Congress have marked a career often at odds with party lines. In December last year, she stirred a controversy by saying: “We don’t have Rs 500 crore to give just to sit in the CM’s chair… whoever gives a Rs 500 crore suitcase becomes CM (in Congress).” She was later suspended from the Congress and eventually quit the party before taking charge of the BRP’s Punjab unit. In contrast, Sidhu’s political trajectory has been marked by high-profile shifts and abrupt exits. A two-time MP from Amritsar in 2004 and 2009 on a BJP ticket, he quit the party in 2016, joined the Congress in 2017, served briefly as a minister, and later became Punjab Congress chief ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections. Following the party’s defeat, he has largely remained on the sidelines. However, recent developments suggest he continues to maintain a public connect. Before leaving for Mumbai for IPL commentary, Sidhu was seen at Amritsar’s Giani Tea Stall, interacting with locals, a familiar setting that has long served as his informal outreach space. His social media post before departure drew attention. With a Karan Aujla track playing in the background, he wrote: “Kehnde jo harake mainu ghare torna, aapa ne hi turna sikhaye hoye aa. Aawanga maidan, game chhed len de; khede jawak hale khed len de. (Those who talk about defeating and sending me home, they’re the ones I taught to walk. I will step into the field, let the games begin, let the kids play for now).” Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram