NEW DELHI: The prospects of Navjot Singh Sidhu joining the Congress ahead of next year’s assembly elections have brightened with the former cricketer, who left BJP over two months back, meeting Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh in the capital here.
Confirming the meeting, Amarinder today said Sidhu was inclined to support the Congress and would soon make an announcement regarding his plan.
“I can tell you that I have met him. I hope very soon he will be making his announcement. I found him in a very positive frame of mind. I hope it will be a positive decision,” Amarinder said.
The former Punjab Chief Minister said he does not think that Sidhu is interested in contesting the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat and is likely to campaign for the party.
“He just has to make up his mind whether he has to carry on with his work or whether he wants to actively join politics. The way he is talking, I feel he would like to campaign for the Congress party, but that he would announce himself,” he said.
Asked specifically if Sidhu will be formally joining the Congress or not, the PCC chief said, “I think he will announce it himself. Let’s wait for the announcement in a few days time. But the impression I got, without any commitment from his side, is that he was inclined to support us.”
Sidhu’s entry into Congress has been speculated for a long time now. His wife Navjot Kaur joined the party recently, giving ample indications that he would also come on board.
Sidhu was earlier in talks with AAP but it did not materialise leading to a split in his recently formed outfit Awaaz-E-Punjab.
Two formidable members of Awaaz-E-Punjab and sitting independent MLAs – Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains from Ludhiana, parted ways with Sidhu to join the Arvind Kejriwal led AAP.
Pargat Singh, the other member, joined the Congress along with Sidhu’s wife. (agencies)
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