'Sulking' Navjot Singh Sidhu, wife to quit BJP; likely to join AAP: Reports

Amritsar, Nov 20: As the political parties are setting upon their eyes over state of Punjab, the politics in the SAD stronghold is all set to get more and more interesting.

Rumours are doing the rounds that BJP's strongman and former MP from Amritsar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, will quit saffron party and join hands with Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Although, AAP leadership is tight-lipped over such rumours, but if reports are to be believed then the party is reaching out to the cricketer-turned-politician.

As per a report published in Punjab Tribune, "While the Senior AAP Leader and incharge of Punjab affairs of AAP, Durgesh Pathak denied in the press conference that either Navjot Sidhu or his wife was ever in touch with AAP leaders, highly placed Delhi based sources told that the Sidhu couple were in touch with the AAP leadership and they may join the party at an appropriate time."

Speculations are rife that AAP, which is devoid of a popular face in the state of Punjab, may project the flamboyant BJP leader as party's Chief Ministerial candidate. Punjab is one of the most crucial states for AAP after Delhi, as the party has all four of its MPs in the Lok Sabha from here.

Rumours have it that Sidhu along with his wife Navjot Kaur, sitting BJP MLA from Amritsar, will soon resign from the saffron party and join hands with AAP, which is going to project itself as an alternative to SAD-BJP and Congress.

There have been reports in the past that the couple is unhappy with the way BJP leadership is handling party's affairs in Punjab. Sidhu has been openly criticising the ruling SAD in Punjab and has always maintained that the BJP should severe its ties with the Akalis and contest alone.

In last year's Lok Sabha elections, Sidhu - the sitting MP from Amritsar - was denied party ticket, instead an outsider in Arun Jaitley contested here. But to the party's huge embarrassment, Jaitley lost to Congress' Capt Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu has reportedly been sidelined in the party under Amit Shah's leadership. During Nitin Gadkari's tenure as BJP chief Sidhu was a national secretary.

OneIndia News