Congress leaders meet Navjot Singh Sidhu in Patiala jail

Patiala, January 6

A number of Congress leaders made a beeline for the Patiala Central Jail on Friday to meet cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu ahead of his much-anticipated release on January 26. However, party leader Sukhpal Khaira expressed suspicion that the state Aam Aadmi Party government might deter his premature release.

The former state Congress president, Navjot Sidhu, is on the list of inmates with good conduct who can be released from jail under the Centre’s remission policy. However, Khaira alleged some miscreants were trying to deter his premature release from the jail. He said, “Sidhu’s release is due on January 26. He will have completed 68 per cent of his jail term and is eligible for release under the remission policy. But, some miscreants are trying to deter his release. It will depict Bhagwant Mann government’s mala fide intentions against him if it attempts are made to prevent his premature release. We expect he will be released as per the provisions of the remission policy.”

Meanwhile, former Congress state president Shamsher Singh Dullo, Lal Singh and Mohinder Singh Kaypee also met Sidhu. The development has come when senior INC leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra is set to enter Punjab on January 11.

Dullo said it was their personal visit and added, “We will be delighted if Sidhu is released from jail on January 26.”

Lal Singh said they were all working to strengthen the party. “His (Sidhu’s) father and mother were senior Congress leaders. We came to meet him. He will remain in the party in future as well,” he said.

Lal Singh rejected that there were disagreements between Navjot Sidhu and PPCC president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and said the two leaders would work in tandem.