Sidhu likely to join forces with AAP ahead of Punjab elections

State will teach former cricketer a lesson for treachery, declares chief minister Badal

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who quit the Rajya Sabha earlier this month and has since kept up a steady barrage of attacks on the BJP for asking him to remain away from Punjab, is likely to join Aam Aadmi Party in the second week of August.

The 52-year-old former cricketer, who had a long innings with the BJP in Punjab, has alleged that the party had asked him to stay away from Punjab to serve “personal interests”.

Sources in the AAP said Sidhu will formally join the party next month, possibly in the second week of August.

He is likely to be inducted as a “star campaigner” ahead of the assembly polls next year.

AAP is giving a tough fight to the ruling BJP-SAD alliance and Congress in Punjab, and is hoping to cash in on Sidhu’s popularity to bolster its chances in the state election.

AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has welcomed Sidhu’s decision to quit Rajya Sabha as “brave” and has also called him a “nice” man.

Sidhu, however, has not disclosed his plans yet.

Earlier this week, he parried queries during a media interaction on whether he would join AAP, saying he will be standing wherever the interest of Punjab are served.

Sidhu has alleged he was told to remain away from Punjab to “serve personal interests,” apparently suggesting that the BJP was acting under ally Shiromani Akali Dal’s pressure.

Sidhu has had a running feud with the Akalis, who have labelled him an “opportunist”. They have said that “fugitive” leaders like Sidhu have no place in state politics and people will teach him a lesson.

But BJP has maintained that Sidhu has not quit the party yet.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, unhappy with Sidhu, said yesterday that the people of Punjab will teach the former cricketer a lesson. In a scathing attack, Badal said people “would not forgive Sidhu and teach him a lesson for treachery because they dislike anyone who deceives his party”.

“Opportunists and fugitive political leaders like Sidhu have no place in Punjab politics and people will teach him a befitting lesson,” Badal told a gathering in Barnala district.

Badal, the oldest serving chief minister of the country, said Sidhu would meet the same fate as former chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala and former minister Manpreet Singh Badal who were sent to political oblivion by people for ditching their mother party. While Barnala left the original Akali Dal, Manpreet Badal – an estranged nephew of Chief Minister Badal – quit in October 2010 following differences with his uncle.