NEW DELHI:Â Â Ending months of speculation, Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the Congress today ahead of assembly elections in Punjab after yet another meeting with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who welcomed him into the party. The 58-year-old had quit the BJP in September 2016, complaining that he had been sidelined.
The meeting with Rahul Gandhi — the second in four days — happened at mid-day, during which the Congress vice-president welcomed him into the party. Within minutes, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted,
“INC welcomes S.Navjot Singh Sidhu & thanks Rahul Gandhiji for bringing likeminded leaders under the Congress umbrella”.
Mr Sidhu came on board after lengthy negotiations and several rounds of meetings with Mr Gandhi. Sources said that he would be given the Amritsar seat -over which he had quit the BJP – and one ticket per family for some of his supporters.
Mr Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur has already been fielded as a candidate, but the constituency is yet to be decided.
Election will be held in Punjab on February 4, in which the Congress, which has been out of power for a decade, has been hoping for big gains.
Captain Singh, who is leading the Congress campaign in the state and was said to have been unenthusiastic about having Mr Sidhu on board, had denied the rumours and said he was expected to campaign for the party.
Mr Singh, a presumptive Chief Minister, is also yet to commit to Mr Sidhu’s reported claim for the office of Deputy Chief Minister in case of a Congress victory. The Captain has said a decision will be taken by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Mr Gandhi at an “appropriate time”.
Navjot Sidhu joining Congress ‘worst decision’ of his life: BJP