Navjot Singh Sidhu was formally inducted into the Congress by party vice president Rahul Gandhi today.
Calling Navjot Singh Sidhu a "first-class opportunist" for
joining the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the ex-MP was trying to befool the people of Punjab days before the the state goes to polls. Mr Badal - also Punjab's Deputy Chief Minister - further said that voters cannot trust Mr Sidhu and jibed that the former cricketer "has taken more turns than any cricket pitch in the world."
"This man has taken more turns than any cricket pitch in the world. From singing praises to the SAD-BJP combine, he has courted the Aam Aadmi Party and now landed on the lap of the most hated Congress party. His shelf life in the Congress is also likely to be short," Mr Badal said.
He further criticised the former BJP lawmaker for "missing from the state for seven months" and alleged that Mr Sidhu was more interested in his commercial interests.
"Why have you come to the state 20 days before election? What took you so long? What was the bargain? Come clean and tell Punjabis," Mr Badal asked Mr Sidhu, on Twitter.
"It is obvious your commercial interests in Mumbai were important to you than the people of the state. Even now , you have waited till the last minute to stake a claim in Punjab politics. What can be termed as a bigger opportunism than this," the SAD chief added.
Mr Badal also accused Mr Sidhu of opportunistic behavior and claimed that the former cricketer had stabbed Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the back during the 2014 Union elections.
"This is why he stabbed his self-proclaimed guru Arun Jaitley in the back by opposing the latter's candidature from Amritsar," Mr Badal alleged.
He further claimed that Mr Sidhu, who was reportedly promised the post of Deputy Chief Minister by the AAP, has been promised greener pastures by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
"It is obvious he has been given a better deal by Rahul Gandhi... Sidhu's arrogant behaviour and ego will spell doom for the Congress in the Majha region. All the seats in Amritsar are as good as lost for Congress," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Joining Mr Badal in the attacks, senior Akali Dal leader and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged a "secret AAP-Congress pact" and dared them to forge a pre-poll alliance.
"Secret partners Congress and Aam Aadmi Party should leave the option of electing them to voters and do a prepoll alliance on sacred principles," she said.
She further accused AAP of inciting hatred and violence in the state of Punjab.
Former Parliamentarian Navjot Singh Sidhu, who quit the BJP in September last year, was formally inducted into the Congress by party vice president Rahul Gandhi days ahead of the Punjab polls, scheduled for February 4. Mr Sidhu, a former MP from Amritsar, was sidelined in the 2014 Union polls to accommodate senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who lost to Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh.
After joining the Congress, the former cricketer tweeted, "Beginning of a new inning. On the front foot.... Punjab, Punjabiyat and every Punjabi must win."
(with inputs from PTI)