Fifty - Fifty luck for Punjab Sportsmen in Punjab Poll : Tops and Flops

Suresh Kumar Lau

The sports fraternity had a fifty - fifty luck in the Punjab Assembly poll. Navjot Singh Sidhu, the late entrant to congress barely fifteen days before February 4 elections. The cricketer - turned TV - personality and politician recorded the second highest victory margin in the state. Three - time BJP MP, Sidhu won Amritsar East seat by 42809 votes. He said that might have joined Congress team late, but he played like an aggressive T 20 batsman. "I know how to play a T 20 and Test match he said . Interestingly, the 53 year old Sidhu held 36 rallies in a 7 days across the Punjab during the last days of the campaign. 

Navjot Singh Sidhu

Hockey prodigious Pargat Singh, the only player to have led India in twice Olympic (1992, Barcelona) and (1996, Atlanta) beside leading the country at Asian Games , World Cup and numerous other tournament. He also made history with his re - election from Jalandhar Cantt, which have never re - elected a candidate.

Pargat Singh

Pargat singh his political debut in the 2012 Assembly elections supported by Shriomani Akali Dal (SAD), winning the Jalandhar Cantt.

The 64 - year old former fighter wrestler Kartar Singh (Tarn Tarn) and yesteryear basketball player Sajjan Singh Cheema (Sultanpur Lodhi) lost in the Punjab poll. Luck did not smile upon sports celebrity, contestants fighting from Aam Admi Party (AAP).

Cheers to Congress

In fact, the landslide victory of Congress but also titanic defeat of SAD and BJP that may be considered as of the most important feature of the election. The SAD and BJP was supposed to lose as it was in power for two successive terms. Congress registered a decisive win the Punjab legislative Assembly in three - cornered fight. Congress gains a life line in the Punjab, Sidhu was in great demand as a star campaigner for Congress.