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Navjot Sidhu’s wife joins Congress, says it’s the only platform for a stable govt in Punjab

On being asked if her husband will join the party, Navjot said, "Hum do shareer ek aatma hai, fir ek durse ke bina kab tak reh paenge? (We are two bodies one soul, how can we live separately)"

navjot sidhu, congress Navjot Sidhu at Congress’ press conference.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu and former Olympian Pargat Singh on Monday joined the Congress party. At a press conference in the national capital, a formal announcement in this regard was made in presence of senior Congress leaders, including party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

Pargat and Kaur met the Congress high command here last week to seal the deal. Later, both met Punjab Congress President Captain Amarinder Singh and discussed the formalities of their joining the party.

On being asked if her husband will join the party, Navjot said, “Hum do shareer ek aatma hai, fir ek durse ke bina kab tak reh paenge? (We are two bodies one soul how can we live separately)”.  She later also said that Congress is the only platform for a stable government in Punjab.

Elections to the Punjab assembly are likely to be held early next year.

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Joining the party at AICC headquarters in the presence of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh and party’s incharge of state Congress affairs Asha Kumari, Navjot Kaur said “we are soul mates and you will know soon”.

When posed the same question, Amarinder said Sidhu was in Mumbai and will come soon after which discussions will be held with him. “But with his wife in Congress fold, I am sure he will join soon,” he said. Officially welcomed Navjot Kaur and Pargat Singh to the Congress, Amarinder said.

Festive offer

Asked if they will contest the upcoming polls, Navjot Kaur and former Hockey Olympian Pargat Singh said they have joined the party unconditionally and will abide with whatever the party leadership decided. Both were, however, ready to contest from their respective Amritsar East and Jalandhar Cantt assembly seats.

To a question the Congress’ Jaipur resolution that new entrants should have a colling off period, Amarinder said the “Congress President will take a final call on this issue”.

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Navjot and Pargat had met the party’s top leadership last week and later met Amarinder before sealing the deal.

With their joining Congress, which is in political wilderness in the state for the past decade, got a shot in its arm as it is striving to get back to power in Punjab after having lost out to ruling Akali-BJP combine for the past two consecutive polls.

Navjot Kaur, who hails from Patiala contested on a BJP ticket and won in 2012. She was also the Chief Parliamentary Secretary in the current Akali-BJP government, but later quit the party in October. Pargat, who had won the 2012 Assembly elections from Jalandhar Cantt on SAD ticket, quit the party in September this year.

Along with former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, he formed the outfit Awaaz-e-Punjab, a new front which now stands defunct after the Bains brothers decided to support and align with AAP.

(With inputs from PTI)

First uploaded on: 28-11-2016 at 17:13 IST
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