Lok Insaaf Party in final stages of formation, say Bains brothers

Chandigarh, October 28

Even while cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu's next course of action remains undecided, Awaaz-e-Punjab members Balwinder and Simarjeet Singh Bains said on Friday that they were in the final stages of forming their new party — called Lok Insaaf Party.

An independent MLA from Ludhiana South, Balwinder said he and his brother had applied to the Election Commission for floating a new political party 3-4 months ago, before Awaaz-e-Punjab was formed.

"We have formed the Lok Insaaf Party," he said, adding they had issued a notice for abjections and the party’s formation was in its final stages.

Simarjeet Singh Bains, MLA from Atam Nagar constituency in Ludhiana, will be the outfit's president and brother Balwinder its chairman.

"Besides, we have a full structure of the party in place, in which we have city councilors too," Balwinder said.

Speaking on Awaaz-e-Punjab's future course, he said the question about which way former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu-led Awaaz-e-Punjab would go will finally be answered after Diwali.

The brothers have been claiming that Awaaz-e-Punjab has been in talks with both Congress and AAP for an alliance.

"Sidhu never used bad words against Delhi Chief Minister and AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal," he said.

Last month, after floating Awaaz-e-Punjab, Sidhu had called AAP "anarchy in the garb of democracy" and accused Kejriwal of wanting only "yes-men".

However, AAP senior leader Sanjay Singh had confirmed that the party was holding talks with Sidhu.

The cricketer-turned-politician also met AAP leader Durgesh Pathak in Delhi on Wednesday.

Sidhu, a former BJP Parliamentarian, formed the Awaaz-e-Punjab last month but said it would remain a political forum for now.

The forum has yet to align with a political party.

Punjab will hold elections early next year. — PTI