- Former Punjab MLA's press conference ; She stated if government comes to power, ministers will be required to submit performance reports within one month and their primary focus will be on farmers
- My husband is currently not associated with any political party, she claimed
Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of former cricketer and ex-Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, has announced that she will contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections from the Bharatiya Rashtrawadi Party. She made this announcement during a press conference held at the Chandigarh Press Club on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, she had also shared the update through a post on her social media platform X.
Navjot Kaur said that contesting elections from big parties requires money, and she questioned why she should spend money for that purpose. She added that she would rather invest the money in other meaningful work. She also revealed that she has been receiving support calls from people abroad who are willing to back her. A day before the announcement, she had also shared a poster of the 9-year-old Bharatiya Rashtrawadi Party based in New Delhi.
Former MLA stated that the party will contest all 117 seats in Punjab. If her government comes to power, ministers will be required to submit performance reports within one month. Only experienced individuals will be included in the cabinet, and the primary focus will be on farmers. She stated that Navjot Singh Sidhu is currently not associated with any political party and has not been called by any party since 2022. She also dismissed claims related to a ₹500 crore statement, saying it was misrepresented by a media channel.
Permission for Opium Cultivation for Farmers
Navjot Kaur said that responsibilities in the party will be assigned based on individuals’ expertise. She also proposed allowing farmers to cultivate opium under regulation.
Plan to Guide Youth on Productive Mobile Usage
She emphasized the need to address stress among families, noting the lack of sufficient psychological experts. To tackle this, counseling systems will be introduced to prevent depression among youth.
She also proposed a unique model for youth employment: young people will be trained to use mobile phones productively—for example, reporting issues like garbage dumping or wrong parking by sending photos to the government. They would receive 50% of the collected fines as an incentive.
Comments on Political Leaders
Responding to a question about Raghav Chadha, she said he seems like a good person who has raised important issues. On political affiliations, she said good work should be appreciated regardless of party, mentioning leaders like Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, adding that Priyanka is still like a sister to her.
Speaking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said she appreciates him based on her past experiences. She mentioned that during her tenure as an MLA, she was given responsibility in the health sector and was supported by her party even when she took strong stands, including opposing her own government at times.
On BJP, Akali and AAP
When asked about any possible understanding with the BJP, she denied it, saying neither side approached the other. She claimed that people are reaching out to her to join her party. She added that once in power, they would seek financial support from the central government. Speaking about the Akali Dal, she remarked that she cannot engage in dialogue with Sukhbir Singh Badal; she claims a 30% cut from working projects, and she added he consumes a bit too much opium.
On being asked about competition among multiple parties in Punjab, she confidently stated that her party sees itself as a winner. Addressing similarities between her party’s flag and BJP’s, she clarified that there is no connection. She also claimed that she had earlier contributed to creating momentum for AAP by advocating for an alternative, but criticized its performance.
She concluded by saying that her party represents India as a whole, she is heading the Punjab unit, and currently 37 members are working with her.
Prevalence of cancer exacerbated by consumption of pesticide-laden food
Regarding cancer, Navjot Kaur Sidhu stated that the prevalence of the disease today is exacerbated by the consumption of pesticide-laden food. Furthermore, she mentioned that with the farmers' interests in mind she is currently engaging in discussions with international counterparts to identify and secure the specific varieties of wheat that are currently in high demand.