Malcolm Merlyn Posted July 18, 2016 Posted July 18, 2016 Quote Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday resigned from the Rajya Sabha, giving rise to speculations that he could join the Aam Aadmi Party which has reportedly offered to project him as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. Reports said Sidhu's wife, Navjot Kaur, is also likely to resign from the BJP. She is currently a lawmaker in the Punjab assembly. The 52-year-old former cricketer and commentator who is also a popular television personality, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April. Sidhu had been upset when he was asked to make way for Arun Jaitley to contest from Amritsar -- which he represented for 10 years -- during the 2014 general election and denied the chance to contest. Jaitley lost the election. Sources close to Sidhu were tight-lipped about the future move of the cricketer-turned-politician. His wife, Navjot Kaur, who is Chief Parliamentary Secretary in Punjab where BJP shares power with Akali Dal, had created a flutter on April 1 (April Fool's day) announcing her resignation from the BJP. "The burden is over," she had written on her Facebook post on April 1, but after a meeting with top BJP leaders in Delhi, she said, "All is well" and she is very much a part of BJP in Punjab. Both Sidhu and his wife share an uneasy relationship with the Akali leadership. With speculation rife over the issue, the AAP said in Chandigarh that it would welcome Sidhu with open arms if he joins the party. "If he joins our party, we will welcome him with open arms," the AAP's Sangrur MP, Bhagwant Mann who is also party's campaign committee chairman, said. When asked if Sidhu has approached AAP or vice versa, Mann said that is not the case so far. "He has not got in touch with us nor have we got into touch with him," he said. Asked if Sidhu could be made AAP's Chief Ministerial candidate in case he decides to take the plunge, Mann said, "Whoever joins AAP, he is clearly told that it has to be unconditional. "Even when I had joined AAP, I had said that I will be happy if I am assigned just the duty of pasting posters of the party. I want to make it clear that there is no race for any post in our party...the CM candidate will be decided by the party," he said. "But as party's campaign committee chairman, I want to say that our doors are open. Sidhu is a good orator with a clean image, who has also remained a star campaigner of his party. May be now, he finds that he does not enjoy that much freedom to express himself (in BJP)," Mann said. Mann said AAP has promised to give a viable political alternative to the people of Punjab in the 2017 Assembly elections. He said if people like Sidhu join the AAP it will be good for the party. He also said, "From time to time, Sidhu's (MLA) wife (Navjot Kaur) has been raising questions on policies and programmes of the SAD-BJP Government including on the drug issue..." AAP's senior leader and party's Punjab affairs in-charge, Sanjay Singh tweeted, "Navjot Singh Sidhu has taken a brave step by resigning from membership of Rajya Sabha and I welcome his decision." Sidhu's wife is a BJP MLA from Amritsar-East constituency in Punjab and is known to take on her own government in the State on various issues. Navjot Sidhu had in the past attacked Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal saying, "Badal Sahib, you promised moon to the people of Amritsar... Don't deny them basic needs. Don't abuse the word daughter and sister. I am ready to vacate my seat for your relatives." Sidhu, a former Lok Sabha MP from Amritsar, was convicted in a culpable homicide case in Patiala and is out on bail. http://www.rediff.com/news/report/navjot-singh-sidhu-quits-rajya-sabha-could-join-aap-ranks-in-punjab/20160718.htm Massive Blow to BJP in Punjab.Arun Jaitley and his love for Akalis will cost BJP dearly.
velu Posted July 18, 2016 Posted July 18, 2016 sidhu as CM candidate its like offering UK PM post to boris johnson
Mariyam Posted July 21, 2016 Posted July 21, 2016 Hubris. Unfortunate that Siddhu takes himself seriously. Malcolm Merlyn 1
Malcolm Merlyn Posted July 21, 2016 Author Posted July 21, 2016 Hubris. Unfortunate that Siddhu takes himself seriously. All major parties in Punjab is taking him seriously.
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