New Delhi: Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Navjot Singh Sidhu's joining the Aam Aadmi Party is hanging fire, since the cricketer-turned politician failed to cut an ice with the AAP leadership over his demand of the party's chief ministerial candidature in Punjab, and a ticket for his wife Navjot Kaur in the upcoming assembly elections.
An NDTV report suggested that Sidhu is exploring options, including joining the Congress, which had sent word earlier that its doors are open for the former cricketer.
Well-placed AAP sources told ANI that Sidhu wanted the party to project him as the chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, a request which was flatly denied.
Further, Sidhu wanted the party's ticket for his wife as well; to which, the AAP leadership cited the party's constitution that doesn't allow more than one member of a family to contest the elections or hold party's post.
Sources further said that Sidhu recently held a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister-cum-AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, which the party refused to acknowledge.
Sidhu had not come to Delhi to speak on his joining the party following his resignation from the Rajya Sabha, rather he was here to clarify the reason behind his resignation at a press conference, the party said.
Sidhu had held meeting with Kejriwal at his residence in Delhi on the night of August 12.
Both Sidhu and his wife, who is a BJP MLA from Amritsar, were likely to join the AAP this month, but only Navjot Kaur was likely to contest elections on an AAP ticket.
Sources said Navjot Kaur was abstaining from joining the AAP before August perhaps to avert by poll in her constituency before the scheduled assembly elections, because her joining the AAP will lead to her disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law.
