Navjot Singh Sidhu not to float political party in Punjab

TIL Desk/National/Chandigarh-Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu said he won’t float a political party in Punjab as it will divide the anti-incumbency vote and help the ruling BJP-SAD combine. “I have pondered over the fluid political situation in the state, weighed the pros and cons and reached the conclusion that we will not play spoilsport and confuse people further but give them clarity to vote in Punjab’s interests,” the former BJP MP said in a statement.

Sidhu had on September 8 formally announced a new political front, ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’, along with Olympian Pargat Singh, saying his fight was against the system and the leaders who had “ruined” Punjab. In the process, he also put an end to speculation that he might join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). “The Bains brothers (two independent legislators) roared like lions and wanted to contest on all 117 seats. Pargat Singh, the eternal optimist, was also for it,” Sidhu said.

The former MP from Amritsar said they won’t divide the anti-incumbency vote, which could benefit the “Badal-Amarinder nexus”. This was a reference to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Congress leader Amarinder Singh. “This will defeat our purpose of bringing a change for the betterment of Punjab,” he said.