Even as cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu send across a message that he would stay in the Congress while sharing his picture with party chief Sonia Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann on Sunday maintained that the party doors for the former Cabinet Minister is open.
Making it clear that no talks have been held with Sidhu at any level so far, Mann said that it was he who is making offers to the firebrand leader. “If Sidhu decided to join the AAP, I would be the first to welcome him,” said Mann.
After AAP’s resounding victory in the recently-concluded Delhi assembly polls, speculations were rife that the party may now rope in Congress’ rebel leader Sidhu and project him as its chief ministerial candidate for 2022 polls.
“I have made the offer, but there have been no talks. Navjot Sidhu is a damn honest person…I was his huge fan during his cricketing days and used to switch off the TV whenever he got out. I am still his fan and will remain so in the future too. If he joins our party, I will be the first to welcome him,” said Mann.
The Sangrur MP said that the doors of the party were open to all those who work for the welfare of the State without any vested interest.
However, Mann evaded a direct reply when specifically asked if his party had approached Sidhu to join the outfit. Instead, he quipped, “Unemployment has been on the rise, prices have risen…farmers suicide is increasing…” to underline
that he should be asked about “Punjab’s issues” and not about individuals.
When asked if Sidhu could be offered the chief ministerial post in case he joins the AAP, Mann again evaded the reply and said, “Farmers suicides have increased, water table has gone down. You (media) should ask questions about Punjab’s issues.”
“Sidhu, Bhagwant Mann, these are not Punjab’s issues. Punjab’s issues are farmers’ suicides, our water table going down, issues pertaining to our youth, our economy, these are the issues and you should ask me about this,” he added.
The Congress MLA from Amritsar had been incommunicado ever since he resigned from the state cabinet last year. Sidhu, who had been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, was stripped off key portfolios in the cabinet reshuffle in June last year.
However, a few days ago, Sidhu met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
In a statement later, Sidhu said that he was called by the “party high command” to Delhi and that he apprised the two senior leaders of a road map for the “revival” of the Congress-ruled state “to its pristine glory”.
Earlier, BJP’s youth leader Gurtej Pannu, along with his hundreds of supporters, joined AAP. Welcoming them, Mann declared that it was now time for the youth to work.