Sidhu decides not to play spoilsport

Navjot Singh Sidhu has stepped back from forming a fourth front ahead of next year’s Punjab elections, saying the forum Awaaz-e-Punjab he has floated would not be turned into a political party although it was open to alliances.

“We will not play spoilsport. We shall not confuse the people of Punjab but give them clarity to vote in the state’s interest. We will not divide the anti-incumbency vote bank which could indirectly benefit the corroborative and collusive Badal-Amarinder nexus,” the cricketer-turned politician said in a statement. “The forum welcomes any alliance for the betterment of Punjab and will not be a political party,” he added.

The Badals – the father-son duo of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy, Sukhbir – run the Akali Dal-BJP government in Punjab. Former chief minister Amarinder Singh heads the state Congress. Sidhu had earlier this month formally launched the forum with two Independent MLAs from Ludhiana, brothers Simarjit and Balwinder Bains, and former hockey player Pargat Singh, who resigned from the Assembly after being suspended by the ruling Akali Dal. All four have a common enemy: the Badals.

As per reports, Bains brothers were in favour of contesting all the 117 seats but Sidhu, a former BJP MP who left the party last week, decided on a pragmatic approach. “A new party needs a minimum of two years to win a state election. Three months is too short a time for this Herculean task,” he said.

Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur, who has also quit the BJP, said: “Our front will extend support to those who work for the development of Punjab.” When he was in the BJP, Sidhu had little say on Punjab politics because of his testy ties with the Badals. On its own, the BJP is nowhere in the numbers game in the state and has always had to depend on ally Akali Dal. Amarinder had invited Sidhu to join the Congress, but he turned down the offer.

Even the Aam Aadmi Party didn’t project Sidhu as the party’s face in Punjab despite several rounds of talks. AAP leaders, who had lashed out against Sidhu after he launched his forum, changed their tone today. “We were confident Sidhu would not take any step that could benefit the Badals. He has kept the Badals and Amarinder in the same bracket,” an AAP spokesperson said.Sidhu’s statement didn’t make it clear whether Awaaz-e-Punjab members would contest the polls.