Ex-Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu has been suspended from the Congress party after she made a controversial statement about corruption in the selection of the Chief Minister. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring issued the suspension order, saying she is removed from the party’s primary membership with immediate effect.

The controversy began when Navjot Kaur claimed that in Punjab, “one who gives a suitcase of ₹500 crore becomes the CM.” She alleged that corruption influences major decisions and even accused the Congress leadership of wrongdoing. After meeting Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday, she told reporters that she and her husband Navjot Singh Sidhu “always speak for Punjab,” but they do not have “₹500 crore to offer” for the Chief Minister’s post. This remark triggered a major political storm.

Navjot Kaur’s clarification

As criticism increased, Navjot Kaur later tried to clarify her statement. She wrote on X (Twitter) that her words were “twisted.” She said she never meant that Congress demanded money from them. According to her, she was only responding to a hypothetical question about whether Navjot Singh Sidhu could become a CM candidate from any other party. Her answer was that they do not have the kind of money that is allegedly required to get such positions.

Despite her clarification, political parties, especially the BJP and AAP, attacked the Congress, saying her remarks reveal the “ugly truth” about how the party functions.

BJP attacks congress

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi strongly criticised the Congress after her statement. He said Navjot Kaur’s remarks were a “serious allegation” and claimed that she exposed corruption in the Congress. According to him, her statement shows that “one needs ₹500 crore in a suitcase” to become a Chief Minister in the Congress. He further alleged that the Congress is “neck-deep in corruption.” Trivedi also warned people to stay alert and claimed that the Congress is “a danger to democracy.”

BJP cites past allegations

To support his claims, Trivedi referred to a past allegation made by senior Congress leader Margaret Alva in her book Courage and Commitment. In the book, Alva wrote that during the 2008 Karnataka elections, party tickets were allegedly being auctioned to the highest bidder. Trivedi said this shows corruption is deeply connected to Congress. According to him, whether it is development or ticket distribution, “corruption is the first criteria.”

Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s statement has triggered a major political controversy, leading to her suspension and giving opposition parties fresh ammunition against the Congress.