Amritsar, 30 April

"Time will tell," was cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's response on Wednesday when asked when he will return to active politics.

The former Punjab Congress chief has not been participating in the party's events and activities for the past many months. He also did not campaign in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

On Wednesday, he launched his new YouTube channel 'Navjot Sidhu Official' in which, he said, he will talk about his life experiences, cricket and commentary, motivational talks, lifestyle but not politics.

Speaking to the media after the launch here, Sidhu said he is going to unfurl a new page of his life.

"I will put forth my views. It will have everything about my life but not politics," he said Sidhu.

He also said there are many politicians who took politics as business.

"I did politics for people's welfare. It was never a business. There was no compromise with the character. You can ask my children that not a single penny came from politics," he asserted.

Sidhu made a comeback to cricket commentary in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.

The IPL and cricket commentary are my life, he said.

"I find maximum happiness in commentary. Politics is the place where I got maximum satisfaction. But the difference between the two is that in politics, you are dependent, but when you do commentary, play cricket and do motivational talks, you are 'atamnirbhar' (self-reliant)," he said.

Asked whether he was part of any political party and would he remain in the Congress, Sidhu asked if there is any need to give proof.

When asked if people want to know through this channel when he will return to active politics, Sidhu evaded a direct reply.

"Time will tell," he said.

"Life is what happens when you are making other plans," he said.

Talking about his channel, he said, "I used to pray from childhood that oh Lord, make me an instrument of your goodwill, if I could bring a bit of change in anybody's life, unlock anybody's potential.

"Therefore, this is probably the first platform where I am going to be devoting a lot of time of my life," said Sidhu.

He said he will "share my experiences and it will be like an open book. I will do it in a professional way. It will be the only channel where my presence will be unrestricted. Look, when you do politics, you have some limitations and you have to respect that."

On the content of his channel, Sidhu said it will be about lifestyle, diet, cricket, commentary, apparel, his life experiences, spirituality and motivation.

When he was asked whether Punjab's politics is going in the right direction, he replied that people will decide about it.

"My profession has been elsewhere. It is unfortunate, I do not talk about all, but there are many people who understand politics as business and profession," said Sidhu.

Asked if former Congress Khadoor Sahib MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa had been appointed as the halqa in-charge of the Amritsar East Assembly constituency, Sidhu said it is decided by the party.

The Amritsar East assembly seat was earlier represented by Sidhu.

Asked about the Pahalgam terror attack, he said people of the country have chosen a government.

"Internal security and external security, they have the responsibility. People have trust and I also have trust in it," he said.

Asked about the adverse impact on trade with Afghanistan because of escalated tension between India and Pakistan, Sidhu said this reply is to be given by the government.