BJP may persist with Sidhu's candidature for bypoll

New Delhi, Jan 12 (UNI) With cricketer-turned-MP Navjot Singh Sidhu getting a reprieve from the Supreme Court, the BJP today indicated that it may field its former MP again in the forthcoming byelection to Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley told mediapersons that one has to wait till January 17, the last day to file nomination papers to know who the BJP candidate would be. "It may be Sidhu or his wife Navjot Kaur or fielding any local leader is an option open for the party", he said.

Asked if his name was being speculated in the BJP, Mr Jaitley replied "I am not aware of it." Sidhu was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in an 18-year-old road rage case.

Mr Jaitley said the BJP would contest 23 Assembly seats leaving a lion's share of 94 seats to Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) group.

UNI