Breaking his silence, Navjot Singh Sidhu yesterday said he quit the Rajya Sabha as BJP had asked him to stay away from Punjab
Navjot Singh Sidhu
New Delhi: Breaking his silence, Navjot Singh Sidhu yesterday said he quit the Rajya Sabha as BJP had asked
him to stay away from Punjab. The cricketer-turned-politician parried queries on whether he would join Aam Aadmi Party, saying he will be standing wherever the interests of Punjab are served.
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Navjot Singh Sidhu addressing the media in Delhi yesterday. Pic/PTI
Sidhu alleged he was told to keep away from Punjab to "serve selfish interests", indicating that the BJP was acting under its ally Shiromani Akali Dal’s pressure as Akalis and Sidhu have had a long spell of hostility. Targeting BJP, Sidhu said, "Navjot Singh Sidhu had won four elections but when there was a wave in favour of Modi sahab, then Sidhu was drowned along with rivals. I was told you cannot fight from Amritsar. You fight from Kurukshetra... you fight from West Delhi. I did not leave my roots then nor did I care about profit and loss."
Asked if he wanted to be CM candidate in Punjab, he said, "I have no wish for any post but I will not break the trust of those who made me an MP from Amritsar and have the highest honour in 21 generations. Now you tell me I should leave Punjab. Tell me what is my sin," he said, speaking about his disenchantment with the BJP.
"I quit because I was told I cannot look at Punjab and will have to keep away from it. No dharma is bigger than Punjab for me," he added.