It is learnt that Sidhu, who quit the Rajya Sabha last month after being asked to stay away from Punjab by the Bhartiya Janata Party, has demanded that he should be made AAP’s chief ministerial candidate for the Punjab elections.
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Further, Sidhu wanted the party’s ticket for his wife as well; to which, the AAP leadership cited the party’s constitution that doesn’t allow more than one member of a family to contest the elections or hold party’s post. His wife and BJP’s Amritsar (east) MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu had even told TOI after his resignation that her husband would never go with Congress and that he was keen on AAP.
The AAP says Sidhu has also indicated that he wants to be the chief ministerial face of the AAP in Punjab, which will elect its next government early next year. “He sought time, indicating that he was waiting for an auspicious day and would join (AAP) later”.
Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was likely to join the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has reportedly put his decision to join the party on hold, according to media reports. Since his demands were not met, the former BJP MP left uncertainty over his induction into the party.
Sidhu, who was nominated by the BJP to the Rajya Sabha in April this year, was upset after the party fielded now Finance Minister Arun Jaitley from Punjab’s Amritsar in the 2014 national election, denying him the chance to contest from the constituency he had represented for 10 years. While quitting BJP, he alleged that he was clearly asked to stay away from Punjab, which he can not even think of doing under any circumstances.
On the deadlock between AAP and Sidhu, which is delaying the announcement of his joining the party, Dr Nijjar said: “I am not aware what all is happening”. They have said that “fugitive” leaders like Sidhu have no place in state politics and people will teach him a lesson.
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When Jaitley lost, Sidhu was accused of sabotage by local BJP leaders.
