Sidhu rides elephant to file nomination

Amritsar: Riding an elephant, sitting MP Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday filed his nomination papers as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the prestigious Amritsar constituency.

Seated atop an elephant, Sidhu led a procession of BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers from a house on Mall Road to the district courts complex to file his nominations before the Returning Officer.

The smartly attired cricketer-turned-politician who anchored the popular Laughter Challenge show waved to his supporters and flashed the victory sign as he rode the elephant.

Deputy CM and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and BJP national secretary, Balbir Punj seated on a horse drawn chariot (rath) followed the television showman. His wife, Dr Navjot Kaur was also present during the filing of nominations.

The slogan shouting supporters of Sidhu barged into the office of the Returning Officer, a clear violation of the model code of conduct.

As per EC norms only five persons are permitted with the candidate into the office of a Returning Officer but the numbers in the case of Sidhu were fairly large.

After filing his nomination, Sidhu expressed his confidence that the voters would return him to Parliament for another term.

In his characteristic style he thundered that just as the earth and the sky above can never meet, likewise no one can defeat Sidhu.

In contrast, his main rival, OP Soni of the Congress after performing an akhand path at his Rani-ka-Bagh residence, led a small procession to the Returning Officer's office to file his papers. As he entered the Returning Officer's office, Soni sounded rather humble when he said, “Waheguru, will ensure victory for me”.

Soni, a former mayor and sitting MLA from Amritsar West was accompanied by former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and a number of other senior party leaders.

As he emerged after filing his papers, the Congress candidate said that the people of Amritsar were proud of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and would vote for him. “It will be a vote for the PM he added.