After a particularly bitter falling out with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab, followed by fevered speculation that he was set to join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which finally came to nothing, former cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has now announced that he is forming a new political party, Awaaz-e-Punjab.
According to ANI, Sidhu has launched the party along with India's former hockey captain Pargat Singh and Punjab MLAs Simrat Singh Bains and Balwant Singh Bains.
The official launch of the party will be announced in a few days, say reports.
In July, 52-year-old Sidhu had resigned from Rajya Sabha amid rising speculation that he was to join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
In a press conference held on 25 July, Sidhu had said that he quit the upper house of the Parliament because the BJP had asked him to not get involved in 2017 Punjab elections.
"Rajya Sabha se isteefa is liye diya kyunki mujhe kaha gaya tha ki Punjab ki taraf mooh nahi karoge. (I resigned because I was told you won't even look towards Punjab)," he had said.
"Even a bird comes back to its nest; how can Navjot Sidhu leave his home, his people? How can I not think of Punjab," he had added.
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