Punjab polls: Sidhu meets Rahul, to discuss joining with Captain Amarinder this week

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi on Tuesday. During the meeting that lasted for half-an-hour, the former BJP MP discussed his plans about joining the party.

Both Rahul and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, were holding talks with Sidhu after he floated his own front, Awaaz-e-Punjab in September. However, after Bains brothers of Ludhiana aligned with the Aam Aadmi Party, Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur and former Indian hockey team captain, Pargat Singh joined the Congress on November 28.

According to party sources, Sidhu will meet Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh this week to discuss his role in the party and work out the modalities of his joining. Both leaders had traded barbs earlier. Sidhu, while floating his front, had announced to work against the “Badal-Amarinder nexus” in Punjab and Captain had dubbed him a “clown”.

Dr Sidhu says she won’t contest assembly polls

In Amritsar, Sidhu’s wife and Amritsar East MLA Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu said she won’t be contesting the upcoming assembly elections. Her name had not figured on the first list of 61 candidates declared by the Congress last week.

Talking to HT, she reiterated that Sidhu will contest from the Amritsar East constituency.

“Sidhu wanted to play an active role in the state politics and that’s why he has decided to contest the assembly polls. He will join the Congress soon and contest from Amritsar (East). I will assist him,” she said.

Dr Sidhu also said they had no plans to contest the Amritsar Lok Sabha bypoll. “We have made it clear to the party. We will contest only one election and that is assembly. Sidhu will campaign in entire Punjab and in his absence I will look after his seat,” she added

Amid speculation that Sidhu has been offered the post of deputy chief minister by the Congress high command, she said: “I do not know anything about this but yes whatever role high command gives, Sidhu will accept.”

She also said Sidhu has no qualms in working under the CM picked up by the high command.

On why Sidhu wants to contest from Amritsar East segment, Dr Sidhu said: “He contests or I contest, it doesn’t make a difference. We are a family.”

On whether Sidhu’s entry may lead to dissent in the local Congress leadership, she said: Sidhu’s entry has a clearance from the highest level. The message must be clear to all. Moreover, it is the job of Congress vice-president and PPCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh to tackle such issues.”