Navjot Singh Sidhu and wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu formally resign from BJP

Cricketer-turned politician, Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu formally gave up their BJP membership on 14 September.

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who had resigned from the Rajya Sabha back in July, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Amritsar twice between 2004 and 2014. His wife, Navjot Kaur was elected to the Assembly in 2012 from Amritsar as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate.

This comes days after Sidhu formally launched his political party, the Awaaz-e-Punjab, in Chandigarh on 8 September.

The party will contest the Punjab Assembly elections next year. Sidhu said the slogan of the party is 'Punjab, Punjabiyat and Punjabis will win'.

Making the announcement, Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur said the new front will take on all who were against Punjab. "Along with Pargat Singh and Bains brothers, we have formed a front, this will be against those working against Punjab," Navjot Kaur told ANI.

After Sidhu left the BJP, speculation was rife that he may join the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Assembly elections in Punjab.

Navjot Singh Sidhu also revealed that he resigned from the Rajya Sabha as he was asked to stay away from Punjab, which was not morally acceptable to him.