Chandigarh:Amidst speculation about his joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), video clips showing cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu mocking at Arvind Kejriwal today went viral on the social media, a day after he resigned from Rajya Sabha.

In the clips, appeared to be shot during the 2014 Delhi Assembly polls, Sidhu is seen making fun of the AAP national convenor and describing him as “Nautanki company wala Kejriwal”.

In one of the clips, he is seen saying, “Nautanki company wala Kejriwal Sahib. Mai politics kabhi join nahin karunga, Aam Aadmi Party bana di. Mai security nahin loonga, ‘Z’ security le lee. Mai bangla nahi lunga, bangle mein khud jhadu maarne lag gaya, bangla le liya. Main koi jhooth bol raha hoon?”

(I will never join politics, he said but floated the Aam Aadmi Party. I will never take security cover, he took ‘Z’ security. I will not take a bungalow, he took it and started sweeping the floor himself. Am I lying?).

The former India cricketer is also seen making fun of the Delhi Chief Minister’s chronic coughing in one of the clips.

“Idhar dharna, udhar dharna. Tujhse khansi to theek nahin hui, Delhi kya theek karega. Have I lied? (Holding protests here and there…you cannot cure your cough, how would you cure Delhi),” he is heard saying in the clip.

In another clip, Sidhu says, “Har jagah pe bhagam bhag.

Naukri chhodke bhaga, Delhi ki janta ko chhodke bhaga…Jo banda Anna Hazare ka nahin ho saka, woh tumhara kaise hoga? (He has run away from everything. He left his job, left the people of Delhi…if someone can leave Anna Hazare, how can he be yours?).”

Dealing a blow to the BJP ahead of Assembly elections in Punjab, Sidhu, the Amritsar MP from 2004 to 2014, resigned yesterday from Rajya Sabha three months after his nomination by the Narendra Modi government, fuelling speculations that he, along with his wife Navjot Kaur, a BJP MLA, could join the AAP.

Kejriwal and other top leaders of the party hailed the decision.

Kaur today told reporters there was no choice before her husband but join the AAP to serve the people of Punjab.

Talk of Sidhu becoming AAP face in Punjab premature: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today appeared to suggest that Navjot Singh Sidhu becoming the face of AAP in Punjab would be premature even as he admired the “courage” of the BJP leader for quitting from the Rajya Sabha.

On the possibility of Sidhu being projected as the AAP’s Chief Ministerial candidate in the Punjab polls next year, Kejriwal commented, “Aisa kuch nahi hai.” (There’s nothing of that sort yet.)

“He has just resigned from the Rajya Sabha seat and I think all good people should resign from the BJP. I admire his courage,” the Delhi Chief Minister said.

When reminded about Sidhu’s criticism of him in the past, Kejriwal said “That’s not an issue. But whoever joins the AAP has to become a common man first.”

Asked what if Sidhu wants to join AAP. Kejriwal called him a “nice” man, adding “definitely the party (AAP) should give it a thought.”

Sidhu had yesterday resigned from Rajya Sabha just three months after his nomination to the Upper House by the Modi government. Sources in the AAP said he would join the party soon and may be made the party’s face in the assembly elections next year.

Sidhu, Kejriwal mum on strategy, former MP may join AAP soon

Both Navjot Singh Sidhu and Arvind Kejriwal today played their cards close to the chest on their next move in Punjab amidst emerging indications that the cricketer-turned-politician and his wife Navjot Kaur might soon join AAP.

Sidhu kept himself away from the media while his wife did all the talking, saying his resignation from the Rajya Sabha yesterday meant he has also quit the BJP and the only option for them now was to join the AAP.

Kejriwal, who welcomed Sidhu’s decision as brave, today appeared to suggest that the talk of his becoming the face of AAP in Punjab would be premature now.

On the possibility of Sidhu being projected as the AAP’s Chief Ministerial candidate in the Punjab polls next year, Kejriwal commented, “Aisa kuch nahi hai.” (There’s nothing of that sort yet.)

“He has just resigned from the Rajya Sabha seat and I think all good people should resign from the BJP. I admire his courage,” the Delhi Chief Minister said.

When reminded about Sidhu’s criticism of him in the past, Kejriwal said “That’s not an issue. But whoever joins the AAP has to become a common man first.”

Asked what if Sidhu wants to join AAP. Kejriwal called him a “nice” man, adding “definitely the party (AAP) should give it a thought.”

AAP sources Sidhu and Kaur will join the party within a week. They indicated that he may not be the CM face but could be the main campaigner in the Punjab Assembly elections next year.

Kaur who spoke to reporters in Chandigarh said there was no question of Sidhu going back on his decision.

“I think he (Sidhu) has very clearly suggested what he is going to do and in the coming days let him come out with this (his future plans). He has said that he wants to serve Punjab and there is no choice except serving from Aam Aadmi Party,” Kaur, who is MLA from Amritsar-East constituency and is Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Health) in SAD-BJP Government, said.

Asked what was her husband’s position now in the BJP, Kaur said, “It is understood that if he has quit the Rajya Sabha, he has quit BJP. There is no question of his going back, he has never gone back on his words. He wants to serve Punjab. And he will serve the State.”

As for herself, Kaur said she was still a BJP MLA and was functioning as chief parliamentary secretary.

“I have made no decision as yet. For Navjot the alternative is very clear, he is clear about serving Punjab.

So, you can understand what option he has,” she told reporters, adding she has always stood by his side.

When asked if it was the end of the road for Sidhu in the BJP, Kaur emphatically said, “Yes”.

When again asked about her plans, Kaur said, “Let me see what take he has, let him come out and say what he has to say in a press conference and then let me take my decision.”

“I follow him blindly… But at the moment, I am working as MLA,” she said.

When pointed out that they were being dubbed as opportunists by some opponents, Kaur said, “There is no question of asking for any position. He is not coming on any condition or wanting any position. He is just saying I want to serve Punjab.”

Asked what she felt about AAP, Kaur said, “My take on any party is that people of Punjab want neat, clean and a good governance…ultimately, it is for people of Punjab to decide.”

Kaur described Kejriwal as a “honest” man.

“I look upto a person who first talks about the basics.

Whether there is electricity or not, whether one is getting pension or not, food, gas (LPG), whether road is complete or not, whether health and education is provided or not. First talk about these things rather than boasting. From that point of view, I find him (Kejriwal) a grounded and an honest man,” she said.

Showering praise on the Delhi Chief Minister, she described herself as an “ardent fan” of him.

“I am an ardent fan of him (Arvind Kejriwal). There are some good and bad things in every person. But his (Kejriwal) merits are in abundance,” Sidhu said.

Kaur, who like Sidhu, has been critical of BJP’s continuing alliance with Akali Dal, dubbed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as a “turncoat”.

“There cannot be a bigger opportunist and dalbadloo (turncoat) than Parkash Singh Badal,” she said.

She praised him for “I have not worked with him but what I read and see about him I feel that being in the public, he talks about basic things”.

Kejriwal had yesterday hailed Sidhu’s resignation from the Upper House, saying it requires courage to give up a Rajya Sabha membership to “save” his state.

Badal also hit back at the Sidhus saying people of the state will never forgive “opportunists and treacherous” political leaders who ditch their party for sake of short term benefits.

He said leaders without any principles could never succeed in the politics as Punjabis have strong dislike for them.

The Chief Minister said that there would be hardly any impact of Sidhu leaving BJP .

He said that he has not yet received Kaur’s resignation from the post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary.

🗃️ This story is from our archives and may contain outdated information.