states politics
Sidhu-AAP
Peps-up Punjab
Poll Drum
Amid news of AAP planning to pitch state election under the leadership of HS Phoolka , Navjot Singh Sidhu may also join hands with them projecting his wife as Deputy CM
By Anil Anand
The temperamental former cricketer and the king of entertainment Navjot Singh Sidhu has made a mark in whatever field he has entered till day . He did so as a politician as well . His three time victory from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat speaks volumes of his popularity as a politician . But he was dethroned by his own party , the BJP , and was denied mandate in 2014 polls in favour of Arun Jaitley .
He has been , ever since , crisscrossing through the political labyrinth and trying to en-cash his multi-hat image , combined in one as a crowd puller . Dangling carrot of his popularity to both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party , he has , till date , succeeded in keeping both the groups at tenterhooks but as the indecision persisted none seemed to be keen to accept Sidhu ’ s precondition to accept and nominate him as the chief ministerial candidate .
Sidhu has dug his heels on what he perceived to be a perfect batting wicket to stake his claim for chief ministership . Ostensibly , he missed out on the fact that in the given time frame he has a limitation of Overs to score a century and that the climate , as in cricket , so in politics , has a great role to play .
Suddenly , he has been running the risk of becoming a persona non grata from his self-perceived position of either a king in making or the king maker . His indecisiveness has certainly taken away some sheen from his otherwise impeccably white flannels . This is a sharp slide from his known image of a firm decision maker and a courageous individual .
Some might say Sidhu , in the contest of early 2017 Punjab Assembly elections , is down but he is certainly not , out . As of now he seems to be continuing his parleys both with Congress and AAP looking for a better deal . The multiple choices are , of course , a boon , in any given situation but also raise the risk of added confusion if a timely choice is not made .
The former cricketer has tied himself in an uncertain situation of his own making which he is trying unknot vigorously to stay relevant in Punjab ’ s current political scenario . Perhaps , Sidhu has realised that he has to act past lest both Congress and AAP slam their respective doors on his face .
Going by the available indications he is in the final stages of sewing a deal with AAP . He might not be projected as the party ’ s chief ministerial nominee but he could settle for a number two position deputy chief ministership if not for himself then his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu .
There is nothing new in this proposal as such an offer was made to him by APP high command earlier also . Sidhu ’ s precondition that he should first now as to who would be the chief ministerial candidate had led to a stalemate . The AAP ’ s national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is near to conceding this demand and share the name of his chief ministerial candidate with Sidhu .
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The Dayafter November 16-30 , 2016