Even as Navjot Singh Sidhu (53) is gearing up for a new political innings in Punjab after resigning from the Rajya Sabha, the controversial cricketer-turned-politician on Wednesday (Oct 26) was hit for a six by the Supreme Court.
The Apex Court said Sidhu would face trial in case involving alleged wrongdoings during 2009 Lok Sabha elections. His Congress rival has accused him of violating the poll expenditure limit of Rs.25 lakh. He also alleged that he had officers transferred.
In 2009, the cricketer-turned-politician won from Amritsar. He was in the BJP at the time. Ahead of the election in Punjab early next year, Sidhu has floated a new outfit, the Awaaz-e-Punjab. He quit the BJP last month.
Also in 2006, the former opening batsman was earlier convicted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in a road rage case. Later, Sidhu appealed against the verdict in the Supreme Court, which suspended the High Court verdict on January 23 in 2007.
After Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said Sidhu would join their party on the auspicious day of Diwali, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday (Oct 26) said that Sidhu was a human bomb and could explode once he entered the grand old party.
Badal told mediapersons that Congress state party chief Captain Amarinder Singh was trying to downplay Bajwa by saying that he had no objection to Sidhu joining the party, adding the reality was that they both abuse each other.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bajwa said the matter of Sidhu joining the Congress was under the high command's consideration while sarcastically adding that Sidhu might get a 'Diwali gift'.
Responding to Bajwa's assertion, Captain Amarinder said that he had no objection to Sidhu and other Awaaz-e-Punjab leaders' joining the Congress. He said that he was actually the first person to invite Sidhu to join the Congress when the former cricketer had quit the BJP.
The Punjab Congress chief, who had earlier dubbed Sidhu as "another clown", ate hos words after his meeting with Rahul Gandhi last week, thereby indicating that talks were on between Sidhu and the party high command.
