oppn parties "All Issues Resolved", Sidhu Is Back As PCC Chief

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  • Neha Bora was subsequently released and Dipke is to appear before a magistrate today at noon
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  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India's trade imbalance with China was growing sharply and attributed the problem partly to restrictions on Indian goods and services entering the Chinese market. China subsequently said it was ready to work with India to address mutual economic and trade concerns; India's trade deficit with China reached $69 billion in the first half of FY2026–27, up 27% year-on-year
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  • The Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission of India, Delhi Police and opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, in separate petitions concerning electoral-roll revision and protests held in Delhi on October 10–12. The court also directed the preservation of CCTV footage linked to allegations of police excesses
  • The Supreme Court ruled that a person converting from Hinduism to Islam cannot automatically claim backward-class reservation benefits in the new religious community solely on the basis of their previous caste status. The judgment upheld the Madras High Court's decision striking down a 2024 Tamil Nadu government order that permitted such certification for specified communities
  • The Election Commission of India ordered a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 14 states and three Union Territories, using January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date for voter eligibility. The draft rolls are scheduled for publication on November 12, claims and objections will be accepted until December 11, and the final rolls are due on January 4, 2027
Delhi HC refuses to ban CJP's Tiranga rally at Central Park in Connaught Place today /////// Police says will control and regulate it /////// NDMC closes the park for the public on Friday and Saturday
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"All Issues Resolved", Sidhu Is Back As PCC Chief

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2021-10-16 10:31:34

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

On Friday, Navjot Singh Sidhu met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. Emerging from the meeting, he told reporters that "all issues have been resolved" and he will withdraw his resignation as PCC chief in Punjab. So after 18 days of drama, the man who was accused of betraying the trust placed by the Gandhi siblings in him has finally seen the light. Or has he?

For, Sidhu is known to be an unpredictable man who is also highly egotistic. When he says that all issues have been resolved, it means all issues that he has raised till now. What about future issues? For once the party high command yields on current issues, the man will make it a habit of asking it to bend on all issues that he raises in the future. For instance, what happens now if he goes after the few Congress leaders like Sunil Jhakkar who had criticized him for resigning?

But it is good that the Congress high command has persuaded him to continue as it had taken a conscious decision of going with Sidhu and had removed Captain Amarinder Singh for that reason. If the PCC chief was changed at this juncture, it would have sent negative signals, both to the party workers and the general public, just ahead of the election that are to be held early next year.  

As it is, the prolonged infighting and the emergence of many groups within the state unit has had a negative effect on the chances of the Congress in the ensuing elections. It will take a herculean effort to make the unit battle-ready and fight anti-incumbency. If Sidhu was not brought on board and if he continued to put hurdles in chef minister C S Channi's path, it would have been more difficult. Hence, with one major decision taken, the party should now ask Sidhu and Channi to get their act together and revitalize the state unit in these few months.

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