Capt will take a call on Sidhu’s entry into Congress: Surjewala

Friday, 26/08/2016

http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=163645&boxid=59360&uid=&dat=2016-08-26

New Delhi: As former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu’s induction into AAP looked uncertain, Congress on Thursday said the party’s Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh will take a call on the matter of the cricketer-turned-politician’s entry into the party.

As regards such issues, we have authorised Amarinder Singh to deal with,” AICC chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said when asked whether Sidhu was welcome into the Congress fold. The party has been maintaining that all like-minded parties and people are welcome to join hands with it in Punjab to defeat the “communal” forces in next year’s Assembly poll.

AICC Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Punjab Asha Kumari had earlier said that Congress was not in talks with Sidhu yet. She said Sidhu who has resigned from the Rajya Sabha has yet not quit BJP. Amarinder Singh had earlier said that Sidhu was welcome to join Congress as it is in his DNA, as his father happened to be a Congressman. Sidhu hails from Patiala, the home town of Amarinder Singh.

Sidhu, however, has remained incommunicado ever since he resigned from the Rajya Sabha. However, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has tweeted answering the speculations over Sidhu joining AAP, saying he had met him last week but needs time to decide and whether or not he joins the party must be respected.

‘He will clear the air on joining AAP in a week’

Chandigarh: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu putting of the media persons on revealing future plans of her husband Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday said, “He himself will clear up the things.”

Dr Sidhu said she was not part of the August 14 meeting between the cricketer-turned-politician and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal and is not aware of what happened there, as Sidhu went abroad after that. Dr Sidhu, who was in New Delhi for the past one week, said that Sidhu will clear the air (on joining AAP) in a week or so.”

Meanwhile, AAP state co-incharge Jarnail Singh, who was in the city on Wednesday, said the party had informed Sidhu about all its policies and now it is for him to take the decision.

Jarnail Singh, who was interacting with mediapersons after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, said: “In our party, only one member of a family can get the party ticket. This has been conveyed to Sidhu.”