Adding another twist to the prevailing uncertainty over former Parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu’s next move, Punjab BJP president Vijay Sampla on Sunday claimed the cricketer-turned-politician is still a part of the saffron brigade.
Sampla, also the Union Minister, maintained the former Amritsar MP had not resigned from the BJP, but only as the Rajya Sabha member.
The State BJP chief’s statement came a day before Sidhu is expected to announce his next step and future plans by addressing the media, for the first time post-resignation, in Delhi.
The development assumes significance as Sidhu’s MlA wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu had all along been claiming that Sidhu’s resignation from the Upper House implied resignation from the BJP also.
Dr Navjot, also the Chief Parliamentary Secretary in the SAD-BJP Government in Punjab, had blamed the saffron party’s apathy and snub for Sidhus’s decision. She even went on to assert that for the former MP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had remained the “only option”.
“Navjot Singh Sidhu is still in the BJP…and the question of his return to the party does not arise. He is still in the BJP and he has not resigned from the membership of the party,” said Sampla while responding to media queries on Sidhu.
Sampla clarified Sidhu had resigned from the Rajya Sabha, and not from BJP. Earlier also, the State BJP leadership has maintained that Sidhu’s resignation as party member had not been received yet.
Against Dr Navjot’s claims, Punjab BJP chief also made it clear that Sidhu has “no personal grudge” against the party. “He is not upset with the party,” he added.
Sampla’s statement came at a time when the speculations were rife that Sidhu would be joining the resurgent AAP, and possibly be projected as party’s Chief Ministerial candidate in Punjab for 2017 State Assembly polls or campaign for it.
Resigning just three months after his nomination by the Narendra Modi Government, Sidhu had described Rajya Sabha membership as “burden”, and his decision to work for Punjab, and its people - giving credence to the speculations.
Rumours are that Dr Navjot, BJP MlA from Amritsar East constituency, may also follow her husband’s footsteps.
Reacting, Sampla said everyone had the right to take their own decision and the Sidhu couple was free to take their decision.
‘We’ll follow coalition dharma, expect same from ally’
Amidst rumours of rift between the coalition partners - the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab, Sampla categorically stated the alliance would remain.
At the same time, he asserted the saffron party would follow the coalition dharma and “we expect the same from the ally”.
Sampla’s assertion is significant as only recently he expressed unhappiness over the treatment meted out to him and a senior BJP leader and Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu during a State-level function at Gurdaspur. Miffed, Sampla refused to address the gathering.