Sidhu offers to quit LS, sends letter to BJP president

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) BJP MP and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu today offered to quit his Lok Sabha seat following his conviction in a murder case and sent his resignation letter to party President Rajnath Singh.

In his letter, Sidhu, who represents the Amritsar parliamentary constituency, has sought the party's permission to resign from the Lok Sabha after the Punjab and Haryana Court held him guilty in a a 1988 murder case.

''In the 18-year-old case, arising out of alleged road rage, the High Court has given an adverse order against me holding me guilty.

The High Court will listen to my lawyer on Wednesay on the quantum of punishment... and my right to challenge the judgement in an appeal...I will be seeking my party's permission to resign my Lok Sabha seat. I will be meeting my leaders and will continue to pursue my political ideals, my public activities, and continue to serve the people of Amritsar Sahib. I always stood for truth and and moral ground and these principles are above any office or power that I hold,'' Sidhu said in the letter.

Party sources confirmed that the BJP chief had received Sidhu's resignation letter.

On being asked for his reaction to Sidhu's conviction, the BJP President declined to comment, saying he would first go through the judgement.

Earlier today, the High Court held the former cricketer guilty of causing the death of one Gurnam Singh in 1988, overturning his acquittal by a Patiala sessions court in 2000.

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