He wanted to serve the people of Punjab, an opportunity that neither the BJP nor the AAP gave him. So he has created one for himself.
Cricket player-turned-commentator, comedian and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has finally taken the plunge after a brief absence from politics. He has formed his own political front, Awaaz-E-Punjab (the voice of Punjab), in association with another sportsman, former hockey captain and Olympian Pargat Singh. Pargat was an MLA on the Akali ticket till he was suspended. The announcement was made on the Facebook page of Navjot Kaur Sidhu, his wife and BJP MLA.
It goes without saying Sidhu will be the star campaigner as well as the chief ministerial face of the new formation. The twosome have also drawn into their new party, independept legislators Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjit Singh Bains. They will roll out the details of their new party, complete with a vision statement, on September 9.
This brings to an end the suspense over the three-times MP from Amritsar, who threw away his membership of the Rajya Sabha and effectively of the BJP, on July 18.
Sources close to Sidhu indicated that they will focus on opposition to the "traditional politics of deceit, corruption and moral turpitude". They will fight the Congress, the SAD-BJP, as well as the AAP, the latter for ostensibly not accommodating Sidhu.
Incidentally, Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who was sacked as the Punjab head of the AAP, is believed to be in touch with Sidhu and Pargat in the hope of joining the new formation.
Interestingly, there is another front, which is yet to be named, that is under works in Punjab. Led by Dr Dharamvir Gandhi, MP from the AAP, the front may also turn into a party well before assembly polls due early 2017.
