Sidhu won’t contest from outside Amritsar: wife

Thursday, 06/02/2014

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CHANDIGARH: Chief parliamentary secretary Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu on Wednesday said her husband, Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, would not contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections from any other constituency except Amritsar.

She was reacting to the reports that the BJP was planning to move her husband outside Amritsar.

She also demanded that the VAT on tobacco be increased to 60-65% in Punjab and in case the state government failed to do that in 15 days, she would move the Punjab and Haryana high court, seeking directions for increasing the VAT. Recently, the state government had reduced the VAT on cigarettes.

Navjot, a BJP MLA from Amritsar (east), also alleged that Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma was not redressing her grievances and despite attempts was not giving her an appointment.

Interacting with reporters, she lashed out at the SAD-BJP coalition government of which she is a part. “Punjab being the land of the gurus, the state government on moral grounds should discourage the use of tobacco.” She said the VAT on tobacco is lowest in Punjab.

“By increasing the VAT we can save numerous lives as the high cost of tobacco would act as a deterrent for tobacco-users,” she suggested, adding that Punjab already was facing the cancer menace and the number of people suffering from cancer was growing at a fast pace.

WILL TRY TO REDRESS HER GRIEVANCES: SHARMA

Reacting to the issues raised by Dr Sidhu, Kamal Sharma said she had repeatedly asked Dr Navjot to air her grievances at the party or government levels and not in the public.

Sharma was talking to mediapersons hours after Dr Navjot’s interaction with the media.

“I have spoken to her in the past also and told her to speak at the party forum or at the level of government in case of any issues,” said Sharma. “I will try to redress her grievances and meet her soon,” he said, reacting to Dr Navjot’s allegation that the party president was not giving her an appointment.

Speaking on the issue of Amritsar MP Navjot Sidhu contesting the polls, Sharma said the party’s preference would be him only but the high command would take a final decision. The BJP candidate selection committee for parliamentary polls is meeting on Thursday.

“He is in the list of probables,” Sharma said. Speaking on the reports of Arun Jaitley contesting from Amritsar, Sharma said he couldn’t comment on one of the seniormost leaders. On the occasion, Sharma clarified that there would be no seat- swapping with the coalition partner SAD, which means the BJP would contest from Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur.