Sidhu will regret move: BJP

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 15

The BJP dubbed cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s decision to join the Congress a non-event and the “worst decision” of his political career.

BJP leaders claimed that they were not worried about their former “star campaigner” crossing over to the rival group due to several reasons. One, they believe Sidhu’s election diatribe will mostly be directed towards his enemy number one — the Akali Dal. And two, despite the heartache and the anger at being “ignored” repeatedly by PM Narendra Modi, he is unlikely to launch any direct, personal attack against someone on whom he showered lavish praise from the party’s official platform at the Allahabad National Executive meeting, barely weeks before he walked out of the BJP.

Otherwise, BJP leaders claim that Sidhu joining the Congress would not make much difference to the grand old party in Punjab as the nation was firmly backing the PM’s mantra — “sabka saath, sabka vikas”.

According to party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the decision to join the Congress will prove to be the “worst decision” of Sidhu’s life — the one he will “regret”. “The Congress has no chance in Punjab, his joining will not affect the results,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said it was a fight between the BJP’s “development and good governance model” and the Congress’ “corruption-coated model”.