Believing that he commands respect in the opposition too, Congress' 'defiant' leader and former Cabinet minister Navjot Sidhu on Tuesday said Punjab's opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has always recognised his "vision and work" for Punjab, raising speculation that he may join Arvind Kejriwal's party.
"Our opposition AAP has always recognised my vision and work for Punjab. Be it before 2017 -- 'Beadbi' (sacrilege), drugs, farmers' issues, corruption and power crisis faced by people of Punjab raised by me or today as I present 'Punjab Model' it is clear they know who is really fighting for Punjab," Sidhu said in a tweet.
Tagging an old video clip of AAP leader Sanjay Singh praising him for 'taking the bold step' of quitting the BJP in 2017 and for raising his voice against the Akali Dal and the Badal family that leads it, Sidhu in another tweet said: "If the opposition dares to question me, yet they can't escape my pro-people agenda...This means they have resigned to their fate."
Sidhu's tweets come amid his feud with Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. However, Sidhu had earlier clarified that he has no plans to join AAP.
Earlier toeing AAP's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's 'mantra' to woo people in Punjab by announcing pre-poll sops of free and subsidised electricity to all, Sidhu had favoured 24-hour supply with no power cuts in the state and free power up to 300 units.
Speculation in political circles is rife that Sidhu may join the AAP ahead of the 2022 Assembly election.
Ahead of the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections, Sidhu had resigned from the Rajya Sabha and said, "At the behest of the Prime Minister, I had accepted RS nomination for the welfare of Punjab. With the closure of every window leading to Punjab, the purpose stands defeated, now a mere burden. I prefer not to carry it."
A Sikh truck driver confronted the Uttar Pradesh cops with a sword after they tugged his beard during an argument on a highway in the state's Shamli district on Tuesday.
Government sources have indicated to IANS that they are pursuing four quarries - Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Jatin Mehta - all economic offenders and fugitives from the law relentlessly.
A detailed personal and baggage search of the Chinese passenger resulted in the recovery of one gold chain, gold bar and a gold bracelet, collectively weighing 734 grams.
Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday charged it with looting the country, saying in five years of his government, he has brought the Congress to the doorstep of jail.
"The Congress is clearly on the path of resurgence. The change is palpable on the ground and after a long time Congress workers are enthused. We are on the comeback path in Uttar Pradesh
Yesteryears' actress and Trinamool Congress MP from Bankura, Moon Moon Sen, who is now contesting the Lok Sabha polls from West Bengal's Asansol seat, has declared that her movable assets have soared over four times to Rs 4.68 crore during the last five years.
