Sidhu’s Awaaz-e-Punjab breaks up; Bains bros meet Kejriwal, ally with AAP

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Awaaz-e-Punjab forum effectively stands disintegrated as independent MLAs Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjeet Singh Bains on Sunday met AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Bathinda and finalised an alliance for the state assembly polls due early next year. AAP organisation-building head Durgesh Pathak, who was in the meeting, confirmed to HT that an alliance has been sealed; later a Monday press conference invitation was sent out too.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Awaaz-e-Punjab forum effectively stands disintegrated as independent MLAs Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjeet Singh Bains on Sunday met AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Bathinda and finalised an alliance for the state assembly polls due early next year. AAP organisation-building head Durgesh Pathak, who was in the meeting, confirmed to HT that an alliance has been sealed; later a Monday press conference invitation was sent out too.

Bains brothers on Sunday met AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in Bathinda and finalised an alliance for the state assembly polls due early next year.(HT Photo)

This leaves Sidhu and his former MLA wife, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who had left the BJP, and former Indian hockey skipper Pargat Singh, who had left the SAD, with not many options except the Congress. Sidhu had already announced that the forum will not become a party and will not contest independently.

Senior AAP leaders told HT, on the condition of anonymity, that the Bains’ team may be allotted five to six seats out of the state’s 117.