AAP Confirms Sidhu Will Join; He Says Punjab's Interests Paramount

AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Monday confirmed to CNN News 18 that former cricketer turned MP Navjyot Singh Sidhu will join the Aam Aadmi Party.

Welcoming Sidhu's resignation from the post of Rajya Sabha MP, Singh said AAP will gain in Punjab as the former cricketer is a popular face in the state.

"Sidhu was upset with the corruption within the BJP," Singh added and said the AAP will decide a role for Sidhu shortly.

Sidhu who was nominated to the upper house of the parliament by the BJP sent his resignation to the vice-president Hamid Ansari on Monday morning ahead of the upcoming 2017 assembly elections in the state.

Gurdeep Singh Sappal, OSD to the Vice President Hamid Ansari confirmed Sidhu's resignation in a tweet.

Meanwhile Sidhu reacted to the entire issue in his trademark style.

"In the war of right or wrong, you can't afford to be neutral rather than being self-centered. Punjab's interest is paramount," Sidhu told CNN-News18 after his resignation from the BJP.

"With closure of every window leading to Punjab the purpose stands defeated, now a mere burden. I prefer not to carry it," Sidhu added.

Sources also suggest that Sidhu's wife Navjyot Kaur Sidhu too has tendered her resignation from the post of Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Health from Punjab.

Sidhu's resignation however came as a big surprise to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which shares power with the Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab.

According to a source the BJP had no information or indication that Sidhu would take any such stand.

Former cricketer Sidhu who was nominated under the distinguished personalities quota resigned from the upper house in just 80 days after taking oath on April 28, 2016.

Sidhu was elected to Lok Sabha from Amritsar twice between 2004 and 2014. He had to give up his seat for senior party leader Arun Jaitley who contested and lost to Capt Amarinder Singh.