The Congress on Friday extended an olive branch to former Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying he was ‘most welcome’ to join the party and insisted that its Punjab unit chief Amarinder Singh was on the same page.
Amid speculation over Sidhu joining the party, Singh met Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and is learnt to have discussed the issue besides the political situation in poll-bound Punjab.
Sources said Singh is also learnt to have discussed the party’s prospects in Punjab and about the probable candidates for the upcoming assembly polls.
The Congress, which is seeking to wrest power after a decade of political wilderness, is trying to strengthen its position and sees Sidhu as an effective campaigner who could add more punch in reaching out to people at a time when Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party is keeping it on tenterhooks.
“Sidhu is most welcome to join the party. It will be a wise decision on his part,” Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told mediapersons while replying to a volley of questions on the issue.
He added that if Sidhu recognises the leadership and the values of the Congress and joins the party, it would be a wise decision on his part and we welcome his wisdom.
Former Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pratap Singh Bajwa has been batting for Sidhu while Singh has lately been critical of the cricketer-turned-politician.
Sidhu, who quit his Rajya Sabha seat and the BJP, formed a non-political outfit Awaaz-e-Punjab but is yet to align with any party. Earlier, he was speculated to join the AAP that did not materialise.
