Navjot Singh Sidhu resigns from BJP membership, wife urges BJP to cut ties with SAD

Chandigarh: Days after launching a new political front `Awaaz-e-Punjab`, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned from the primary membership of his party for years - BJP - on Wednesday.

News agency ANI confirmed the development saying, Sidhu has resigned from the BJP membership. Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur has also resigned from BJP.

Attacking her party over its autocratic style of functioning, Kaur said, ''This isn't democracy, this is dictatorship. If I raise social issues, how is it anti-party activity.''

I am an individual, I have only picked up issues of my zone. Not being allowed to do: Navjot Kaur Sidhu, BJP Punjab pic.twitter.com/06U74cYIpI

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 14, 2016

Yes, today morning Sidhu ji has resigned from primary membership of BJP, Navjot Kaur said. If BJP doesn't quit alliance with Akali Dal then I surely cannot continue with it, she added.

The latest move from the cricketer-turned-politician comes days after he floated a new political outfit, saying that his fight was against the leaders who had "ruined" Punjab.

The former Rajya Sabha member had on September 2 floated the new political front online to contest all 117 Assembly seats in the elections scheduled to be held early next year.

Addressing the media, Sidhu said the move to launch the new political front was to ensure that people in Punjab and Punjabiat won.

"Our slogan is `Punjab will win` this time. Punjabiat will win. Our fight is against the system that has ruined Punjab. People with selfish interests have overridden interests of the state. People want change in governance," the former Bharatiya Janata Party member said.

Sidhu broke his silence on his talks with the Aam Aadmi Party and said that the AAP leadership, particularly Arvind Kejriwal, were non-committal on his role if he joined ranks with that party.

Sidhu alleged that the AAP leader was speaking half-truth as he told him not to contest polls and only campaign but will make his wife a minister.

Sidhu was flanked by former Indian hockey team captain Pargat Singh, a legislator of Punjab`s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal, and two independent legislators, Balwinder Singh Bains and Simarjeet Singh Bains, during the launch of the political front.

Pargat Singh was last month suspended from the Akali Dal for "anti-party" activities.

Sidhu had resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18, fuelling speculation that he may join the AAP.