Voice of Punjab

Voice of Punjab
On 8/9/2016 Navjot Singh Sidhu his political front Awaaz-e-Punjab which means Voice of Punjab. With him were former hockey player and suspended SAD MLA Pargat Singh, independent MLA brothers Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjeet Singh Bains, and some others.
Sidhu Spoke against AAP, BJP and SAD. After he quit Rajya Sabha there was talk of him joining AAP. Sanjay Singh and some others had said Sidhu will join AAP. Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu had talked of him joining AAP. August 14 was to be the date. That did not happen. Sidhu attacked Arvind Kejriwal. He said Kejriwal was insecure. He wanted only yes men around him. AAP was like East India Company trying to win Punjab through divide and rule. He was a decoration piece earlier with BJP. Now AAP wanted him to be the same.
It was the first day of Kejriwal’s four-day Punjab tour. In Ludhiana there were protests by Akalis and Congress members and AAP rebels against the removal of Sucha Singh Chhotepur as Punjab convener. Sanjay Singh issued a rebuttal to Sidhu’s statements. He said Sidhu never said he wanted to contest elections.
Punjab Congress President had invited Sidhu to join Congress. He issued a statement on Sidhu’s front. “Their status looks like that of a confused and undecided couple who are not sure whether they should marry or just carry on with the relationship to keep all future options open.”
Sidhu said BJP wanted him to campaign for the Badals and he refused.
Sidhu attacked the Badals for family rule, drug meance and other things. Sukhbir Singh Badal asked “Does Sidhu want his family at the helm of affairs? Does he want his and his wife’s rule?” Navjot Kaur is an MLA and chief parliamentary secretary. She continues in BJP. It was first day of Punjab Assembly session. She attended joint meeting of SAD and BJP legislators.

Some years back there was a spoof on Sidhu. There was a poster in Amritsar. It mentioned its MP Sidhu was missing and anyone informed him will get 2,00,000 rupees award. A man goes in search of Sidhu. He goes to Parliament House. There he is told Sidhu may be giving cricket commentary somewhere. The man goes there. Does not find Sidhu. After that while watching TV he sees Sidhu in a comedy show and goes to claim his prize. There someone tells him “We also know he is there. We want him here.”
AAP, Congress and SAD-BJP are three fronts in Punjab. Sidhu has opened the fourth front. He is well known as cricketer, commentator and a participant in a comedy show. Those who are disgruntled with AAP, BJP, Congress and SAD can join him.
AAP has lost sheen in recent months. Sucha Singh Chhotepur and some other Punjab AAP leaders were opposed to making Sidhu CM candidate. After Chhotepur’s suspension following a sting operation showing him accepting money, many AAP members have revolted against Kejriwal. Anna Hazare has expressed disappointed with Kejriwal. AAP is damaged in Punjab. AAP began with talks of grassroots democracy and no high command culture. Both were dumped within months and are not there. Kejriwal’s autocratic and dictatorial attitude has made many admirers turn away from AAP.
In a four-way contest 27% of votes can get more than 50% of seats. The name of the front suggests Sidhu’s ambition is to become chief minister of Punjab. As elections near, many MLAs and other politicians are likely to switch parties. Sidhu is known for his choice of words and phrases known as Sidhuisms. The contest for Punjab is wide open.