Pargat says may ally with Cong, later alters stand

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 21

Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh today said it had been decided that the Awaaz-e-Punjab would not be converted into a party and could form an alliance with either the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party.

While Navjot Singh Sidhu today criticised PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh in a press note, saying that the formation of a party could benefit “the Badal-Amarinder nexus”, Pargat spoke in favour of the Congress, saying that “the forum is open to supporting the Congress too”.

Asked why he took a different stand, Pargat said: "I am with Sidhu. He is our leader. Please do not take it as our divergent stand. We never said that we are not for any alliance. We have taken the decision of not forming a separate party just to silence our critics who had been calling us the B-team of the BJP. We want to tell them that we are not making any move that will give the ruling party any advantage. We want to tell everyone that we are not here for dividing any anti-incumbency votes, as has been the reaction of late. That's exactly the meaning of today's press note by Sidhu".

Asked about campaigning, Pargat said, "Please give us three-four days more. Sidhu is coming to Punjab after leaving his TV assignments."