Awaaz-e-Punjab member Simarjit Singh Bains has said that founding member of the political front Navjot Singh Sidhu will contest the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls.
Simarjit, an Independent MLA from Ludhiana, said that the front was ‘in talks’ with the high-command of both the Congress and the AAP for an alliance.
“(Navjot Singh) Sidhu will surely fight the (2017 Assembly) election," Simarjit told reporters here on Friday.
It should be noted that Sidhu had earlier announced that his party will not be a political front and is open for any form of alliance.
Asked if Sidhu's wife and Amritsar East MLA Navjot Kaur would also contest the polls, Simarjit said, "Yes," adding that the other members of Awaaz-e-Punjab -- former hockey captain Pargat Singh, he and his brother Balwinder Bains -- would also contest the polls.
Despite Punjab Congress leaders claiming that nobody from the party was in touch with Sidhu for an alliance, Simarjit claimed Awaaz-e-Punjab was "in contact" with the party's high-command.
"Sidhu is in touch with the Congress high-command," he said while refusing to name the person in the Congress party with whom the former BJP MP was in touch.
"We are not in talks with the state Congress leadership, including Amarinder Singh," Simarjit added.
However, he said, "Amarinder very well knows with whom the talks are on in Delhi."
Simarjit said, "Sidhu does not go to anyone's house for a meeting. The leaders of the high-command come to meet him at his Delhi residence."
A few days back, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, while replying to a query on the Sidhu couple's claim that they were in "direct contact" with the Congress' "central leadership", had said they should also name those with whom they were in touch.
Simarjit also claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) top brass was also "in touch" with Awaaz-e-Punjab.
Punjab will go to Assembly polls early next year.
