Resignation from Parliament frees Sidhu of vow

Patiala, Dec 1 (UNI) Amritsar's loss seems to be Patiala's gain! Ironically, with his resignation from Amritsar parliamentary seat following his conviction by the High Court in a road rage murder case, Navjot Singh Sidhu has also been freed of his vow not to visit his hometown Patiala, as long as he represented Amritsar in the Lok Sabha.

Sidhu had taken the pledge during the parliamentary elections in May 2004.

And the cricketer-turned-politician and TV anchor has been keeping the vow with utmost sincerity so much so that he has not attended the last rites of some close relatives or even close friend like the murdered Labour Court judge Vijay Singh.

While his wife, Dr Navjot continued to live in Patiala with their two children, Sidhu held fort in Amritsar.

With his most famous pledge now becoming redundant, the political observers here speculate that path has now opened for the BJP to field Sidhu who is likely to move Supreme Court, in assembly polls from Patiala against Congress heavyweight Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

There was pressure from the Akalis to field Sidhu from Patiala and though Sidhu has been saying that he will obey the BJP High Command's directive like a humble 'sipahi', (soldier), he was uncomfortable at the prospect of having to break his promise.

He had already made it clear that in case he contested from Patiala, he will first resign as the Lok Sabha member from Amritsar.

If the Punjab and Haryana High Court handed him down a high quantum of punishment on Wednesday, December 6, Sidhu was bound to move to the Supreme Court to seek relief.

As Punjab State Assembly Elections are around the corner, options would be open to him to contest elections from Patiala against The Punjab Chief Minister, political observers here opine.

It is learnt that Sidhu had applied for Congress ticket from Patiala Parliament constituency in 1999 but his plea was rejected in favour of wife of then PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh.

Preneet Kaur.

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