Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday put an end to speculation of joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by announcing his new political outfit ahead of the Punjab elections. The development comes as a setback to the AAP, which appears headed for a split.
Sidhu, his wife and BJP MLA Navjot Kaur, former India hockey captain and SAD MLA Pargat Singh and two Independent MLA-brothers - Balwinder Singh and Simarjit Singh Bains - form the five-member founding team of the new outfit, Awaaz-e-Punjab. Bains brothers said, "The outfit will contest all 117 seats in Punjab. There will be no tie-up with any party." It is an answer to the politics of deceit and corruption, they added.
Sidhu's surprise move puts the AAP at a loss. The party was desperately looking for a Sikh face for the elections, who could match the likes of incumbent octogenarian Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal or even the belligerent Congress chief, Capt Amarinder Singh. A Facebook post this afternoon by Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur brought the curtains down on the likely handshake between Sidhu and Arvind Kejriwal. Sidhu is expected to launch his political party in a few days. AAP state convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was removed from the post by Kejriwal a few days ago, is likely to extend support to the new political outfit being dubbed as a fourth front of sorts. Two suspended AAP MPs from Punjab are also in the reckoning.
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