For the first time after Navjot Singh Sidhu joined the Congress, party’s Punjab President Amarinder Singh and the former BJP MP came together on Thursday to stress that cricketer-turned-politician’s entry just before the Punjab Assembly elections was without any pre-conditions.
"He is a foot soldier of the party, and has joined without any conditions. He never put forth any conditions," Amarinder said, expressing happiness at Sidhu's joining the Congress fold.
He said that "Sidhu would be the party's star campaigner in these polls".
Amarinder later tweeted a photo of the two together: "Addressing our first Press Conference together. @sherryontopp (Sidhu) is like my son, and I'm glad we're together in our #BattleForPunjab."
There was speculation that Amarinder, who was conspicuous with his absence at Sidhu's formal joining of the Congress in Delhi on Sunday, was upset that Sidhu was being projected as a chief ministerial probable by the Congress high command.
Both the leaders came for the presser in Amritsar separately and also left the venue in different cars. Their planned joint visit to the Golden Temple was also declared cancelled and the official reason was given that the leaders wanted to be available to party workers.
Amarinder had, on Tuesday, told the media: "I do not know if I am the CM (chief minister) candidate. It is up to the Congress President (Sonia Gandhi) to decide."
Responding to media queries, Sidhu rubbished all speculation on his vying for a post in the next Congress government, saying "son is son, and father is father".
Declaring that he was in the Congress because of Amarinder, Sidhu asserted that he would go to Lambi constituency as campaigner to campaign against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Sidhu tweeted: "Line-up is ready, boys are enthused, the captain @capt_amarinder formidable. Time to knock Badals out of the park! #TeamPunjab #BattleForPunjab."
Amarinder said there was no truth in allegations by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders that he was being "soft" on Badal.
"I am contesting from Lambi to defeat Badal," Amarinder said.
Amarinder Singh said if the Congress came to power, he would order reinvestigation into the SIT (special investigation team) clean chit in the drugs racket case in which the name of Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia figured.
