Amitabh Shukla |
Chandigarh
It was a
strategic silence by cricketer-turned-politician-turned comedy show judge
Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday that triggered a political speculation as to
which way the former Indian batsman is headed.
After quitting
his Rajya Sabha seat on Monday, the 52-year-old Sidhu remained on what his wife
with the same first name, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, called a “maun vrat” on the day of
Buddha Purnima. Sidhu’s phone remained on the silent mode throughout the day
even as his wife did the plain talk and threw several potential possibilities
for Sidhu.
The three
possibilities at this moment for the former Amritsar MP are — remain with the
BJP, join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and become its face in Punjab or to hang on
to the lollypop thrown by Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh and join
the party, like his father did decades ago. However, like a seasoned cricket
analyst, Navjot Kaur gave ample hints that her husband was on his way to bat
for Arvind Kejriwal’s party in Punjab.
Like a good batsman,
Sidhu played the waiting game on the turning track but his MLA wife said the
nominated member of the BJP had simultaneously resigned from the Rajya Sabha
seat and the party as well. But giving indications of a compromise, she said
she was still a part of the SAD-BJP Government in Punjab and would continue as
Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS). Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal
too said he has not got any resignation so far though he said the exit of Sidhu
from the BJP will not make any difference on the prospects of the alliance in
the Punjab Assembly polls early next year.
As Sidhu kept
the suspense, there was no official confirmation from the Punjab BJP of his
resignation from the party. “Both Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur
Sidhu are still in the BJP,” said State BJP chief and Union Minister Vijay
Sampla. He said that the party would react only when it gets an official
statement from Sidhu.
But BJP sources
indicated that this time no one from the BJP would reach out to Sidhu given his
unpredictable political behaviour. “He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by none
other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has clearly betrayed his trust by
resigning without consulting anyone in the party. Earlier, he refused to
campaign for Arun Jaitley from Amritsar. His days in the party are over,” said
a senior BJP leader in Punjab.
Amritsar East
MLA maintained that her husband had resigned from the BJP due to differences
with the SAD which has “pushed him to the wall and he was left with no option”.
She added that she was not aware that Sidhu was going to resign and waiting to
listen from him about his future plans.
“It is our
principal stand that if the BJP continues its alliance with the SAD, we would
not contest the next elections on the BJP ticket. And he has taken the decision
as per his conscience,” said Navjot Kaur.
Without
confirming that her husband would join the AAP, Navjot Kaur said she was an
“ardent fan of Arvind Kejriwal”.
“I liked him
because he talks about giving good education, free health facilities and cheap
power to people. He is ground-level worker like me,” she said.
AAP sources in
Punjab said that Sidhu, a Jat Sikh, would solve the party’s problem of
leadership in the State where the political momentum is with it. “He is a
candidate without any baggage, a typical leader of the AAP variety,” said a
source.
Fishing in
troubled waters, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh offered an olive branch
to Sidhu, famous for his one liners and punch lines. He said Sidhu was welcome
to join the Congress, if he desired to do so. “Congress party’s doors are open
for everyone,” he remarked.
However, Amarinder
clarified that there was no communication between him and Sidhu on the matter.
The PCC president said, that Sidhu had a Congress background as his father late
Bhagwant Singh Sidhu had remained an office-bearer of the District Congress
Committee, Patiala.
Asked whether he
had met Sidhu of late, Capt Amarinder said, “We are both from Patiala and we
are both Sidhus”. He said he had seen him playing and practicing cricket when
he was young. “I don’t remember having met him for a long time now,” he added.
The ball is in
Sidhu’s court now. But it is almost certain that the doors of the BJP are close
for him while that of the AAP has opened. (July 20, 2016)
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