Sidhu to bat for Gujarat BJP during assembly elections

Ahmedabad, June 10 (UNI) BJP leader and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu accepted the invitation of Chief Minister Narendra Modi to take the field and assist him in campaigning for the BJP in the state during coming assembly elections.

The invitation to one of the ''Laughter Challenge'' hosts was extended, when the former cricketer met Mr Modi at one-to-one meeting, Mr Sidhu made the announcement at the Gaurav Sammelan, organised by the state unit of BJP on the occasion of Mr Modi's new record of serving the state as Chief Minister for the longest tenure.

On June one, Mr Modi completed 2063 days in the office of Chief Minister, setting a new record in the history of Gujarat.

During his hard-hitting speech, Mr Sidhu threw an open challenge to Sonia Gandhi and compared Mr Modi's five years in office and Congress' 50 years of rule.

''If she does it she will know that this pro-poor government of Modi will complete its silver jubilee on its own merits,'' Mr Sidhu said.

Mr Sidhu compared Mr Modi with Maharaja Ranjitsingh, a ruler of Punjab during 17th Century for giving a stable and clean government.

Mr Sidhu, a massive crowd-puller, had successfully campaigned for the BJP-Akali Dal alliance during the Punjab Assembly polls. He has been asked to spend a month campaigning in different parts of Gujarat.

''I will be campaigning in Gujarat for the assembly polls on a special request from the Chief Minister,'' said Mr Sidhu, who shares a friendly relationship with Mr Modi.

The invitation to Mr Sidhu comes at a time when Mr Modi is facing problems within his own party as rebel BJP MLAs are regrouping under Modi-detractor and veteran leader Keshubhai Patel before the elections.

During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Mr Sidhu met Modi and today attended a function organised by BJP to honour Mr Modi for being the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state.

Mr Sidhu said, ''The Congress is a party on the decline not only in Gujarat but across India, while BJP is on the ascendancy.'' According to him, the assembly elections in Gujarat will be a cake-walk for BJP.

UNI