While officially launching his own political party ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ on Thursday, former legendary cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu revealed why he has not joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Revealing why he did not join the Aam Aadmi Party, as expected when he quit Rajya Sabha, Sidhu said Arvind Kejriwal tried to woo him for two years.
“Kejriwal ji told me ‘don’t fight elections, ask your wife to contest, will make her a minister.’ I said sat shri akal. You(Kejriwal) only want Yes Men, which I’m not” says Navjot Sidhu, while addressing a media after the official launch of the party.
Former Bharatiya Janata Party member said the aim of ‘Awaaz-e-Punjab’ is to make Punjab, the most debt-ridden state, prosper.
“It’s time to speak the truth… There is a tradition in India that good people are kept as decoration pieces and used only for campaigning… Awaaz-e-Punjab is a revolutionary voice,” Sidhu said.
Taking on the Badal-led government in Punjab, Sidhu said that the foundation of a good democratic government was “by the people, for the people and of the people, but in Punjab, the government is all about one family.”
He said that the Awaaz-e-Punjab was the call of inquilab. He said, “Awaaz e Punjab ek inquilaabi awaaz hai.” He said that he and his partners in the party, the Bains brothers and Pargat Singh, had come to tell the people of their intentions and to answer burning questions.
In an indirect reference to the ruling party in the state, he said, “Log kehte hain ‘kaale Badal chhat ke suraj nikalkna chahiye’ (People say that the dark clouds should give way to the Sun.)”
On Thursday, the 52-year-old said: “Our war is with the system that ruined Punjab and Punjab cannot be saved by people with vested interests.”
The new party is a surprise stroke from Sidhu and is seen as the culmination of his tense equation with the BJP, which he quit last month. He has been a three-time MP of the party from Amritsar.
