Sidhu keeps everyone guessing, AAP says it’s his call, ‘people will decide CM’

“It was Sidhu’s decision to quit the Rajya Sabha and we welcomed it. Now, it will be entirely his decision to join the party. The people of Punjab will decide who their MLA and the chief minister will be,” AAP’s national spokesperson Dilip Pandey said.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, whose joining the Aam Aadmi Party was being seen as a foregone conclusion at one point, has left everyone guessing about his future plans. The party on Thursday said it was Sidhu’s decision to quit the Rajya Sabha and it will be “entirely” his call to join the outfit.

AAP’s national spokesperson Dilip Pandey (left) said it was Sidhu’s decision to quit the Rajya Sabha and AAP welcomed it: “Now, it will be entirely his decision to join the party. The people of Punjab will decide who their MLA and the chief minister will be.” (HT File Photos)

Sidhu had on Friday met Delhi chief minister and AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal at the latter’s residence, but the party remained tightlipped on what transpired at the meeting.

Party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh said it was now up to Sidhu when he would join the AAP. “His joining the AAP will benefit us and Punjab,” he said. Sanjay Singh, who was answering a query on Sidhu, also made it clear that only person from their family would get the ticket, if his MLA wife also joins the AAP.

“It was Sidhu’s decision to quit the Rajya Sabha and we welcomed it. Now, it will be entirely his decision to join the party. The people of Punjab will decide who their MLA and the chief minister will be,” AAP’s national spokesperson Dilip Pandey said. The buzz is that Sidhu is negotiating hard to be chief ministerial candidate of the party in Punjab and that he is also seeking a ticket for his wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, a BJP MLA from Amritsar-East.

The party at the time of his quitting the Rajya Sabha seat had made it clear that his joining will be not be on any term or condition. Also, the AAP’s constitution does not permit giving tickets to two members of a family.

Another senior party leader said, “It’s not clear whether he will join the party and when, if he does. AAP was on high in Punjab even before he expressed his desire to join it. So things will not play out exactly the way he wants.” However, a party leader from Punjab said Sidhu is likely join the party soon.

After his sudden resignation from the Rajya Sabha last month, the former BJP MP from Amritsar had lashed out at the saffron party leadership, but kept mum on his future plans.