Terming Captain Amarinder Singh’s statement on aligning Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as “shocking”, Congress General Secretary and party’s Punjab in Charge Harish Rawat on Wednesday said that the former Chief Minister has killed the “secular Amarinder” within him.
New Delhi [India] : Rawat after meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi told ANI that Amarinder Singh was a symbol of “Sarvdharm Sambhav” and was connected to Congress’ traditions for a long time. “If he (Amarinder Singh) wants to eat crow and go with BJP, he can. Who can stop him if he can’t stay with his old commitment to secularism? He was considered a symbol of “Sarvdharm Sambhav” and was connected to Congress’ traditions for a long time. If he wants to go, he should,” said Rawat. “Who can forgive BJP that has kept farmers at the borders for 10 months? Can Punjab forgive them for the manner in which farmers’ agitation has been dealt with? His statement is really shocking. It seems he has killed the ‘secular Amarinder’ within him,” he added. The Congress leader further claimed that the party’s performance in the upcoming Assembly polls would not be affected by the political affiliations of Amarinder Singh and will depend on the performance of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s government. “Congress will not suffer any loss; this will actually divide the votes of our rivals. Congress will not be affected. Our votes will depend on the performance of the Channi governemnt, the way Channi has started, it has created a good impression before Punjab and the entire nation,” he added. Talking about his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Rawa said, “I had come here to talk about Uttarakhand. Elections will be held there and the latest natural calamity that struck the state – I briefed him on it. I will also meet the Congress president.” Earlier on Tuesday, Amarinder Singh said he will launch a new political party soon to fight the forthcoming assembly polls in the state and is hopeful of a tie-up with BJP if the ongoing protest by farmer unions against three farm laws is resolved “in farmers’ interest”. Assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled to be held next year.
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Amarinder Singh destroyed himself by announcing seat arrangement with BJP: Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa
A day after Captain Amarinder Singh unveiled his plans to launch a new political party in a possible tie-up with BJP, Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Wednesday said that the former Chief Minister has destroyed himself by announcing a seat arrangement with a party he has always criticised. “Captain Amarinder Singh has destroyed himself by announcing a seat arrangement with BJP, whom he has always abused,” he said. Randhawa further slammed Amarinder Singh and said that BJP should hold an enquiry over the former Punjab Chief Minister’s “whereabouts after his resignation in 1984 and his relation with Pakistan”. “There must be some pressure on him. Many cases have been filed against him and his children. We have no fear of Amarinder’s decision,” he added. Randhawa also called Captain an “opportunist” and claimed that he is responsible for the increase in Border Security Force (BSF) jurisdiction on the border of Punjab. “Captain betrayed Punjab. I am sad that I have spent so much time with him,” he said. “Punjab has no fear of China and Pakistan; he (Amarinder Singh) fought for the nation in 1965 and is well aware of the situation. Captain Amarinder Singh is a big threat to the people of Punjab,” Randhawa added. Further, Randhawa claimed that is “more patriotic” than Captain. The Deputy CM also alleged that Amarinder Singh never met the farmers and that he never took a clear stand for them. In a series of tweets by Amarinder Singh’s media advisor Raveen Thukral, the former chief minister also said that he is also looking at an alliance with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups, “particularly Dhindsa and Brahmpura factions”. Earlier on Tuesday, Amarinder Singh said he will launch a new political party soon to fight the forthcoming assembly polls in the state and is hopeful of a tie-up with BJP if the ongoing protest by farmer unions against three farm laws is resolved “in farmers’ interest”. Assembly elections in Punjab are scheduled to be held next year.
