Navjot Sidhu joins Congress; 4 more candidates announced
Amrinder to fight Badal, Sidhu from Amritsar East and Pargat from Jalandhar Cant
New Delhi, January 15
The Congress on Sunday shifted to top gear in poll-bound Punjab with former BJP stalwart Navjot Singh Sidhu joining its ranks and the party approving fielding of bigwigs to fight Badals in the elections.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh will file his nomination from Lambi against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal while Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu will take on Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in Jalalabad.
Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East where his wife is the sitting MLA right now.
Former Olympian Pargat Singh will fight from his own segment Jalandhar Cant. These announcements will be made soon as January 18 is the last date for filing of nominations in Punjab.
Earlier today, Sidhu met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the latter's residence after which the party issued a statement welcoming the former cricketer into its fold.
Sidhu will mark his formal entry into the Congress tomorrow at 11 am at party headquarters in Delhi.
He will address the media in the presence of state Congress in charge Asha Kumari. Kumari said Sidhu met Gandhi today as Gandhi will be away to Uttarakhand for an election tour tomorrow.
“Navjot Sidhu will formally address the press tomorrow. I will be there. We have decided not to disturb Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh who is now canvassing in Punjab,” Asha Kumari told.
Sidhu didn't want to join before Makar Sankranti as he believes in stars, which were unsettled pre -Lohri. Sidhu's wife along with ex-Akali Pargat Singh had joined the Congress on November 28.
Sidhu had resigned from the BJP in September 2016.
Sidhu, who had represented Amritsar in the Lok Sabha between 2004 and 2014, had accused the BJP of using him as a “decorative piece” and trying to keep him out of Punjab.
After resigning from the BJP, Sidhu had also formed a new political front in Punjab with India's former hockey captain Pargat Singh and Punjab MLAs Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwant Singh Bains called “Aawaaz-e-Punjab”.
