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'Gandhi Kids Inexperienced': Capt Amarinder's Volley of Barbs Against Congress Cements Point of No Return

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sept 22 vowed to fight against Navjot Sidhu. (File photo/PTI)

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sept 22 vowed to fight against Navjot Sidhu. (File photo/PTI)

The former Punjab chief minister also vowed to fight Sidhu in order 'to save the country from such a dangerous man'.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday vowed that he will fight against Navjot Singh Sidhu’s elevation to chief ministership tooth and nail, and will pit a strong candidate against Sidhu in 2022 assembly polls to ensure his defeat. Singh, referring to the president of Punjab Congress Committee Sidhu, said that he was “ready to make any sacrifice to save the country from such a dangerous man.”

“If Sidhu behaves as the super CM, the party won’t function,” he said, adding that under this “drama master’s leadership”, it would be a big thing if the Congress managed to touch double digits in Punjab polls.

ALSO READ | Tale of Two Chief Ministers: Punjab Politics Travels From Captain’s Farm House to Channi’s Tent House

Assuring that he will only leave politics on a high, Singh said in a series of media interviews, “I was ready to leave after victory but never after a loss." He disclosed that he had offered his resignation to Sonia Gandhi three weeks earlier but she had asked him to continue.

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He said that he had even told Sonia that he was ready to hang his boots and allow someone else to take over as CM after leading the Congress to another sweeping win in Punjab. “But that did not happen, so I will fight,” he asserted, taking strong exception to being subjected to humiliation by calling a CLP in a secretive manner, without taking him into confidence.

“I would not have taken MLAs on a flight to Goa or some place. That is not how I operate. I don’t do gimmicks, and the Gandhi siblings know that is not my way,” he said, adding, “Priyanka and Rahul are like my children…this should not have ended like this. I am hurt.”

Singh said the Gandhi children were quite inexperienced and their advisors were clearly misguiding them.

On his future course of action, he indicated that he was still keeping his political options open. “You can be old at 40 and young at 80,” he quipped, making it clear that he did not see his age as a hurdle.

On allegations of inaccessibility, Captain Amarinder said he had been elected to the Vidhan Sabha seven times and twice to the Parliament. “There must be something right with me,” he remarked, adding that the Congress leadership had evidently decided on making the change (in Punjab) and were trying to make up a case.

Referring to complaints that he was not taking arbitrary action against the Badals and Majithia in the sacrilege and drugs cases, the former Chief Minister said he believed in allowing the law to take its course. “But now these people who were complaining against me are in power, let them throw the Akalis leaders behind bars if they can!” he retorted.

Taking a jibe against Sidhu and his supporters over allegations of not taking action against ministers involved in the mining mafia, he quipped, “those very ministers are now with these leaders!”

Singh also ridiculed the way Punjab was supposedly being run from Delhi. Pointing out that as CM, he had called the shots and appointed his own ministers, as he knew the capability of each of them, he questioned how Congress leaders like Venugopal or Ajay Maken or Randeep Surjewala could decide who is good for which ministry.

“Our religions teach us that all are equal. I don’t look at people based on their caste, it’s about their efficiency,” he said, in an obvious reference to the caste considerations that had dictated the choice of the new leadership in the state.

Taking a dig at Sidhu’s ostensible interference in Charanjit Singh Channi’s domain, the former Chief Minister said the PPCC should just decide on party affairs. “I had a very good PPCC president. I took his advice but he never told me how to run the government,” he added, contrasting it with the way Sidhu was virtually dictating the terms, with Channi simply nodding along. He termed it a sad situation for Punjab that Sidhu, who could not handle his own ministry, should be managing the cabinet.

While Channi was intelligent and well educated, he, unfortunately, had no experience in managing home affairs, which was critical for Punjab that shares a 600Km border with Pakistan, with things getting more and more serious over the years, said Captain Amarinder.

The amount of weapons and ammunition coming into Punjab from Pakistan was alarming, he said, once again slamming Sidhu for his close personal relations with the Pak leadership.

On the new CM’s announcement of waiver of power bills, he said Channi must have discussed it with the former Finance Minister and they must have thought of something. “I hope they don’t bankrupt the state,” he added.

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first published:September 22, 2021, 19:08 IST