All attempts by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to make parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu stay in the party failed as the cricketer-turned-politician ended his innings with the saffron brigade on Monday.
His MlA wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a perpetual critic of the coalition in power, too reportedly bade adieu amidst rising speculations of the couple joining Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The “lollipops” — Rajya Sabha membership followed by membership in party’s prestigious core group in Punjab — has failed to please the senior leader like Sidhu.
The former cricketer hurled a bouncer at the BJP and its ally in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), by announcing his departure on the first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session — after the shortest-ever innings in the history of the Rajya Sabha.
Giving a double blow to the BJP with the forthcoming Punjab elections just about six months away, Sidhu, along with his wife, has opted for greener pastures in the AAP — a chance to be its Chief Ministerial face.
Sources informed The Pioneer that Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has had several conversations with Sidhu. During Kejriwal’s Amritsar visit on Sunday, his midnight meeting with Sidhus, away from the curious eyes of the media, and the BJP, seemed to have nailed the deal.
A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, said that the party “wasted” Rajya Sabha nomination by selecting Sidhu. The leader admitted that no one in the party had a clue that this may happen, and that too so soon.
BJP high command, in April this year, threw surprise by nominating Sidhu to the Rajya Sabha. Of late, on June 24, in another surprising development, the party included him in Punjab core group apparently to strengthen the party’s hold in the coalition for Sidhu’s frank, blunt, straight forward approach and ability to keep his foot down when required just before the crucial 2017 assembly polls.
Remaining out of Punjab politics since over two years, Sidhu finally broke his long silence after taking oath as Upper House MP saying that he was not in favour of the BJP continuing its alliance with the SAD, and would be available to campaign on behalf of the party anywhere in the country, but in Punjab.
Sidhu had even refused to campaign for BJP stalwart Arun Jaitley, whom he consider as his political guru, in Amritsar during 2014 lok Sabha polls.
Time and again, Sidhu’s wife had also made clear her stand that she would not contest the next Assembly elections unless BJP parted ways with the SAD in the state. A chief parliamentary secretary in the government, Dr Navjot had openly raised a banner of revolt against her own government for allegedly ignoring her constituency.
A doctor-turned-politician, only recently, embarrassed the ruling combine for her statement that red-bacon vehicles help in carrying drugs — indicating at possible politic-drug nexus.
Soon after the news of Sidhu’s resignation started doing the rounds, Dr Navjot took the afternoon flight from Amritsar to the national capital to join her husband. Even though there are reports that she has also put in her papers, no official confirmation has been made by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the government, or the BJP.
SETBACK FOR BJP
Staring at perceived anti-incumbency accumulated during the past 10 years of its rule in Punjab, the ruling SAD-BJP combine was left high-and-dry by the Sidhu couple. With the combine facing series of allegations, including harbouring drug mafia in the state, losing an “honest” couple that too with just six months left for the assembly polls may affect the SAD-BJP.
Despite BJP’s efforts to pacify Sidhu when he was openly criticizing the SAD, the couple stunned the saffron party which was extremely keen on retaining Sidhu. To substantiate the same, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had personally ensured that he got a Rajya Sabha nomination, and he had even tried to show empathy for Sidhu by tweeting “get well” messages to him when he was admitted in the hospital.
It is believed that Sidhu was convinced that the Akalis and a section of the BJP leaders viewed him as a “huge threat”, and were “conspiring” against him — giving enough reason to the Sidhu couple to see an opportunity in the AAP.
BJP’s lOSS IS AAP’S GAIN
Criticised by some for inaction in Punjab and once considered unfit for contesting elections from Amritsar, Sidhu’s departure from the BJP appears to have, however, consolidated AAP’s position in Punjab.
Considered to be a strong competitor, AAP was losing ground during the past few days after being hit by series of controversies, related to religion.
Sidhu’s proposed joining AAP may give the party the much-needed Chief Ministerial face, though it may also result in resentment among some other local level party members hoping to make it big after the elections.
As per initial surveys, AAP is slated to do well in the elections and Kejriwal has been looking for its Chief Minister’s face, for which his search may end with Sidhu — a Jat Sikh.
AAP’s best known face in Punjab, so far, is the stand-up comedian Bhagwant Mann, Sangrur MP, who is taken to be a lightweight compared to the might of the Badals and Congress' Capt Amarinder Singh.
Sidhu, despite his humorous streak, is taken seriously as a politician and within whom the people of Punjab have placed their faith. The former test opener is likely to meet Kejriwal in the coming days, and the party may soon announce their new inning as AAP’s member formally.