For ‘Punjab and Punjabiyat’ and win of ‘every Punjabi’, the cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday commenced his new political inning, well “on the front foot”.
Taking to the micro-blogging website, Twitter, the former BJP parliamentarian posted his pictures of exchanging warm hugs and sincere handshakes with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
Sidhu’s joining is expected to give a much-needed boost to the Congress’ poll campaign as the party is expected to be benefitted by his mass appeal as its star campaigner.
The former cricketer, who quit as BJP Rajya Sabha MP in July last, tried to strike a deal with the Aam Aadmi Party before announcing his own “non-political front” — Awaaz-e-Punjab — which was hushed much before it could make any noise in the state political scene.
Awaaz-e-Punjab break down after the ludhiana MlA brothers — Balwinder Bains and Simarjit Bains — parted ways to join Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP, with Sidhu’s wife, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu and former hockey player Pargat Singh too joining the Congress.
Sidhu is likely to be fielded from his wife’s constituency, Amritsar East, which, as Capt Amarinder has already announced, has been kept aside for Sidhu couple.
Even as no one could make out the exact reason for protracted delay in making formal announcement of Sidhu joining Congress, it has been learnt that the former cricketer wanted to have the best deal — an important role, claimed seat for his friend Pargat Singh and may be something bigger.
Sources maintained that Rahul Gandhi strategically did not promise Sidhu the chief ministerial post nor he announced state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh as party’s CM face. In fact, the former chief minister’s nonappearance in the picture was also jibed at by his rivals. “Did Rahul send you (Amarinder) to lambi to clear way for SidhuIJ” tweeted SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.
Calling Sidhu the ‘star campaigner’ for the Congress, Capt Amarinder welcomed him saying that his inclusion would further strengthen the party. The former chief minister said that he had a telephonic conversation with Sidhu, and described it as a ‘great news’.
Sidhu hails from Patiala but started his political innings as Amritsar MP of BJP in 2004.
He resigned in 2006 following his conviction in a road rage case. The following year, he appealed to the Supreme Court which stayed the conviction. He went on to win the Amritsar by-election in 2007. He retained the seat in the 2009 general elections but went “missing” from Amritsar, and was only seen while commentating during cricket matches or laughing his heart out at comedy shows.
His ties with the Akali Dal leadership went sour as he lashed out at the ruling Badals alleging that they were “blocking” funds for Amritsar’s development.
His ties with the BJP too went downhill after the party nominated Arun Jaitley as its Amritsar candidate for the 2014 lok Sabha polls. Sidhu gave Jaitley’s campaign a miss which is also seen as one of the factors for Jaitley losing to Amarinder.