Sidhu has quit BJP, will not return to party: Wife

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha on Monday, has quit the BJP as well and would not return to its fold, his wife said here on Tuesday.

Sidhu's wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who is the sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from the Amritsar East assembly constituency and a chief parliamentary secretary in the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance government in Punjab, told media here that since Sidhu had resigned from the Rajya Sabha, it meant that he has quit the BJP also.

She also said that Sidhu had all the qualities to be the Chief Minister of Punjab.

"Any person who is so spiritual and focused needs to lead people. Unless and until you are honest to people, you cannot give good governance. Hence, I believe he has all the possible qualities of leading a state," she said.

Navjot Kaur said that Sidhu had resigned as he wanted to serve Punjab, making it clear that the three-time Lok Sabha member from Amritsar could be headed towards the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), seven months ahead of the crucial assembly polls in Punjab.

"His vision and mentality was very clear that he wanted to work for Punjab...the party (BJP) was very clear that they wanted to work only with the Akali Dal. So that (Rajya Sabha resignation) was the only choice available (to Sidhu)," she said.

She added that if Sidhu got a full-time role in active politics of Punjab, he would quit television.

"He was on television when he was not allowed to work in Punjab. If he gets an important role in Punjab, if he gets to do something for the state, he will leave television, provided he is allowed to do positive work."

Navjot Kaur, however, said that she had not resigned from the BJP or as CPS as yet.

"I don't want to go back on my words given to the people of my constituency. They have elected me for five years and I can't leave them in the lurch. I will take a decision after Sidhu comes out," she added.

On the possibility of Sidhu joining the AAP, she said: "That he will decide."

The Sidhu couple has been critical of the Akali Dal, particularly the ruling Badal family.

In the past, Navjot Kaur has been critical of the policies of the Punjab government, headed by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, of which she is herself a part.

Sidhu was denied the Lok Sabha ticket for the Amritsar parliamentary seat during the April-May general election in 2014. He had won the seat thrice. The BJP fielded Arun Jaitley, now Union Finance Minister, instead.

An upset Sidhu did not enter Amritsar for a single day to campaign for Jaitley, who lost to Congress' Captain Amarinder Singh by over one lakh votes.

--IANS

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