Former parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu’s decision of keeping Awaaz-e-Punjab just as a forum and not a political party received a mixed response from the who’s who of Punjab politics. For some the decision was “expected”, while some were “shocked”, and some “welcomed” it.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal minced no words to say that the cricketer-turned politician “ran away from floating party fearing public outrage”.
“Navjot Singh Sidhu was well aware of the fact that people of state would not support any person who has backstabbed his mother party, so he ran away from floating any political party,” said Badal, while interacting with media at Khadoor Sahib.
He said that the former BJP leader was changing his stands frequently in hope of better bargaining with one or other party. “People are well aware that a person who is not sincere to this mother party could never be loyal to them,” he added.
Reacting to Sidhu’s decision of opting out of political contest, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh said: “He (Sidhu) must have realized that he fits better in a comedy show than anywhere else including politics.”
The former chief minister said that he had always been insisting that Sidhu will hardly be able to form a credible and viable political party, “and today, he has vindicated my stand”.
Taking on Sidhu, Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Badal said that Sidhu or his Awaaz-e-Punjab front won't be able to make the slightest of difference to the political equation in state and would come a cropper.
The expelled Congress leader and lokhit Abhiyan chief Jagmeet Singh Brar Navjot Singh Sidhu's announcement saying that we must all work together to save the state from the “Akali-Congress deal”.
He, however, rallied to bring Sidhu's party, Awaaz-e-Punjab, to the AAP camp which Brar recently aligned with. “I welcome the decision made by my brothers Navjot Singh Sidhu and Pargat Singh. We must all work together like brothers-in-arms to save Punjab from the five-five-year Akali-Congress deal that has looted Punjab for 20 years now,” the former MP said.
He said that Sidhu, Pargat and Bains brothers (ludhiana MlAs Simarjit Singh and Balwinder) have worked for the interest of Punjab in the past. “Today, I am the happiest man in Punjab because by working together we can shape the state's future to be bright and prosperous,” he said.
“In the coming days, I will reach out to them and urge them to immediately take the next step and extend their unconditional support to the hope and aspirations that people of Punjab have placed in AAP,” said Brar, who has extended “unconditional support” to AAP.
He said that it is critical that every anti-incumbency vote is consolidated under one umbrella. “I appeal to my brothers...let's set aside all personal and political goals and come together under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and serve our mother Punjab as its true sons.” he said.
Describing Sidhu’s decision as “admission of defeat before the polls”, the SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said that within days of announcement, Sidhu has understood the ground reality prevailing in the state.
“His announcement to form alliance speaks volumes about his nervousness. Being shying of announcing to join another party, he is trying to confuse the voters with a new alliance which cannot be imagined without forming a political outfit,” said Cheema.
Cheema, the state education minister, said that one side, he was expecting that senior leaders from different political parties will come running to the newly-formed Awaaz-e-Punjab, but the circumstances have compelled Sidhu himself to leave Awaaz-e-Punjab and take political shelter somewhere else.
‘This behavior of the opposition leaders speaks volumes about the strength and popularity of the SAD among the masses and also a clear indication of a win-win situation for the SAD-BJP alliance,” he said.
But for AAP’s former state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, Sidhu’s decision come as a “shock”. Chhotepur, expressing shock, said that his search for good people for Punjab's betterment will continue.
“He (Sidhu) is a big man and it was his own idea. But my search for good people for the betterment of Punjab will continue,” said Chhotepur who maintained that he did not have resources, at present, to float a political party.
“I will pay obeisance to Patna Sahib tomorrow and after returning will take next course of action,” he said, adding that he would hold deliberations with Sidhu on future prospects of Punjab.