MY PUNJAB MY VOTE
Cricketerturnedpolitician says willing to work under any leadership and adds that the Badals will be ‘thrown out of Punjab’ after the upcoming state elections
I am a born Congressman. This is ghar wapsi (a homecoming) for me... My fight in Punjab is the redemption of Punjab
NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU, on joining the Congress
Sidhu is a human bomb, which will explode and ruin things. He has a very huge ego... I guarantee you that in six months he will quit the Congress
SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL, Punjab deputy chief minister
NEW DELHI: Cricket er-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday termed his joining the Congress as “ghar wapasi” or homecoming and unleashed a scathing attack on Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
“I am a born Congressman. This is my ghar wapsi,” the 53-year-old former BJP MP said at a news conference held to announce his formal induction into the Congress.
Sidhu had met Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi on Sunday and joined the party after months of negotiations. “I have just come back to my roots,” he said, adding that his father Bhagwant Singh Sidhu had been a Congress legislator from Patiala.
The press conference held at the Congress headquarters in Delhi was marked by his trademark Sidhuisms, an assortment of one-liners to attack the Badals. “Bhaag Badal bhaag (run Badal run),” he said. “The people of Punjab are going to throw you out.”
However, the TV personality refused to spell out his views on PM Narendra Modi’s performance, saying the people will judge him.
The former Amritsar MP said he was ready to work under anybody appointed by the Congress high command and contest from whichever seat the party wants him to. Congress leader in-charge of Punjab Asha Kumari later announced that Sidhu will fight from Amritsar East, a seat held by his wife Navjot Kaur till recently.
“I am not here for personal agenda but for redemption of Punjab,” he said and accused the Badals of “making the country’s prosperous state a pauper”.
“Punjab has a debt of almost ₹2 lakh crore. A government by the people is now a government for the family,” he said. “Punjab was once known for Green Revolution but is now notorious for chitta (a synthetic drug).”
Asked about his earlier attacks on Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, Sidhu said differences are part of the democracy. “If Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar can come together, why can’t I and Amarinder,” he asked.
Calling the Congress as Kaushalya who gave birth to Lord Rama and the BJP as Kaikeyi, the step mother who orchestrated Rama’s departure , Sidhu said the saffron party opted for an alliance with the Akali Dal and he “chose Punjab.”
Asked about his “failed” talks with the AAP, the former Amritsar MP said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s party didn’t want him to contest the upcoming Punjab polls. “I could not have been a mere spectator and watch from a distance Punjab being destroyed.”
He (Navjot Sidhu) was with us earlier and at that time he used to shower praise on me... Such people do not have respect for anybody.
PARKASH SINGH BADAL, Punjab CM
Sidhu earlier said that the Congress is ‘corruption ki jamaat’ (a community of corrupt). Now, he is joining the same party.
HS PHOOLKA, AAP leader
Mr Sidhu is a confused man. He does not believe in BJP’s ideology of putting the nation first, party second and individual at the end.
SHAINA NC, BJP leader