Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who formally joined the Congress Party here on Sunday, expressed his optimism on his new endeavour saying it was the beginning of a “new innings” for him. “Beginning of a new inning. On the front foot…….. Punjab, Punjabiyat & every Punjabi must win !!!,” Sidhu said in a tweet.
Punjab Congress in-charge Asha Kumari, who confirmed his joining to, said Sidhu met party vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence here and formally joined the grand old party.
“INC welcomes S. Navjot Singh Sidhu into the congress family and we thank Congress vice-president for his visionary approach in bringing together like-minded people on a common platform under the Congress umbrella. Known for his straight talking, ideological commitment to the cause of Nationalism as also wit and humour, we are certain that Congress Party will be immensely strengthened in Punjab and elsewhere with the entry of S. Sidhu” said a party statement.
According to sources, Sidhu had expressed his desire to join the Congress in Rahul’s presence, but had to change his dates as the party vice-president was out of the country.
“I am a born Congressman… I am just returning to my party,” Sidhu, said, at a press conference this morning. He is likely to contest the upcoming Punjab assembly elections from the Amritsar East constituency.
“Bhaag baaba Badal bhaag, kursi khaali kar, Punjab ki janta aati hai (run Badal run, vacate your chair, the people of Punjab are coming), Navjot Singh Sidhu said, adding that the upcoming elections are a battle for the honour of Punjab. “Punjab, which was known as the Wheat Bowl of India, has been reduced to a poor state due to the apathy of political parties…
He also spoke about the issue of drugs, saying it was a reality in Punjab that the lives of youth are being destroyed. “You can’t have ostrich mentality of burying your head in the ground and think it doesn’t exist… Films are being made on the misery of Punjab, Congress will wipe out drug menace from Punjab,” he said.
This political development comes months after the cricketer-turned politician’s wife Navjot Kaur joined the Congress.
Navjot Kaur had earlier this month said that either she or her husband would contest the Punjab elections. “We don’t have anything in mind. We only want to work for the welfare of Punjab. One out of us (Navjot Kaur and Navjot Sidhu) is going to contest the upcoming election, for sure,” Kaur said.
She also said that Sidhu would campaign in all the 117 assembly constituencies in the poll-bound state. “We have to help to develop every sector of Punjab, be it industry or agriculture. Ours is a golden state and we have to make it number one state in the country,” she said.
According to reports, the Congress is planning to field Sidhu against the Badals in the upcoming polls.
The former BJP leader may either be fielded from Lambi, where Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is the Shiromani Akali Akali (SAD) candidate or from Jalalabad against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The Congress has so far released the names of 100 candidates. However, the grand old party still has to select candidates for the remaining 17 seats for elections to the 117-member Punjab Assembly.
NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU JOINS CONGRESS; BUT THESE OLD VIDEOS MAY EMBARRASS HIM
Though, Sidhu may have called himself a born Congressman to woo the party veterans, a mention of his old statements against the Grand Old Party and its vice-president may leave him embarrassed.
In the following videos, Sidhu can be seen openly ridiculing and blasting the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi on public platforms and in speeches during campaigns.
Beginning of a new inning. On the front foot........ Punjab, Punjabiyat & every Punjabi must win !!! pic.twitter.com/up0WzzoaxJ
— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) January 15, 2017
Navjot Singh Sidhu Joins Congress. Toughest Challenge For Him Would Be To Control His Laughter When Rahul Gandhi Speaks. #INCWelcomesSidhu pic.twitter.com/L7bI1WPw1T
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) January 15, 2017
*Navjot Singh Sidhu
— IMRAN KHAN (@imranmkkhan) January 15, 2017
Rahul Gandhi: Mom, I just caught a new Pokemon.
Sonia: What? WhatsApp me the pic...
RG: pic.twitter.com/w8b2z21rK1
*Navjot Singh Sidhu
— IMRAN KHAN (@imranmkkhan) January 15, 2017
Rahul Gandhi: Mom, I just caught a new Pokemon.
Sonia: What? WhatsApp me the pic...
RG: pic.twitter.com/w8b2z21rK1
Navjot Singh Sidhu Joins Congress. Toughest Challenge For Him Would Be To Control His Laughter When Rahul Gandhi Speaks. #INCWelcomesSidhu pic.twitter.com/L7bI1WPw1T
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) January 15, 2017
Navjot Singh Sidhu Joins Congress. Toughest Challenge For Him Would Be To Control His Laughter When Rahul Gandhi Speaks. #INCWelcomesSidhu pic.twitter.com/L7bI1WPw1T
— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) January 15, 2017
*Navjot Singh Sidhu
— IMRAN KHAN (@imranmkkhan) January 15, 2017
Rahul Gandhi: Mom, I just caught a new Pokemon.
Sonia: What? WhatsApp me the pic...
RG: pic.twitter.com/w8b2z21rK1
The Great Indian Laughter Show is back with the best comedian and the loudest judge pic.twitter.com/o4yvkP04Cb
— Aladdin (@Alllahdin) January 15, 2017
First Sidhu Paji joined laughter challange where he met Raju Shrivastav,Sunil Pal. Then He met Kapil on Comedy Night. Now meets RaGa in INC pic.twitter.com/QKi5Edcrzw
— Paresh Rawal fan (@Babu_Bhaiyaa) January 15, 2017
NAVJOT SINGH SIDHU JOINING CONGRESS ‘WORST DECISION’ OF HIS LIFE: BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took potshots at the Congress after cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the grand old party and said that this would not make much of a difference in poll-bound Punjab as the nation backs the ruling dispensation at the Centre which believes in ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’.
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya taunted Sidhu and dubbed his move to join the Congress as the ‘worst decision’.
“Sidhu has taken the worst decision of his life and he will regret it later. The Congress Party stands no chances in Punjab and Sidhu’s inclusion in the party is not going to affect the results,” he told.
Another BJP leader Shrikant Sharma echoing similar sentiments highlighted the scams which took place during the former Congress-led UPA regime.
“There is the BJP on one side, which has been working towards development and good governance in the country and on the motto of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. It has been working on the principles of ‘zero tolerance against corruption’ and ‘zero tolerance against terrorism’. Even the people of India have continuously been supporting them,” Sharma said.
“On the other hand, there is Congress, which has been involved in Rs. 12 lakh crore scams… Now, it’s Sidhu’s choice; it’s his wish to join any party he wants,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Sidhu officially joined the Congress in the presence of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
This political development comes months after Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur joined the Congress.
The Congress is planning to field Sidhu against the Badals in the upcoming polls.
The former BJP leader may either be fielded from Lambi, where Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is the Shiromani Akali Akali (SAD) candidate or from Jalalabad against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
The Congress has so far released the names of 100 candidates. Punjab goes to polls on February 4.
