Captain Amarinder ready to make any sacrifice to stop Navjot Sidhu becoming Punjab CM

Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday made it clear that he would oppose PPCC President Navjot Singh Sidhu's elevation to the Punjab Chief Ministerial post making all efforts possible. Singh declared that he is ready to make any sacrifice to save the country from such a "dangerous man". 
 
Reiterating his plan to counter any move to make Sidhu the state’s CM, the former Chief Minister said that he will set a strong candidate against Sidhu in the 2022 Assembly polls to assure his defeat. “He (Sidhu) is dangerous for the state,” said the former Chief Minister in a line of media interviews.

“I was ready to leave after the victory but never after a loss"

Singh revealed that he had submitted his resignation to Sonia Gandhi three weeks earlier but she had asked him to continue. “I was ready to leave after the victory but never after a loss. If she had just called me and asked me to step down, I would have,” he said, adding that as a soldier, he knew how to do his task and leave once he was called back."

The former Punjab CM said he had even told Sonia Gandhi 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 objection to be subjected to humiliation by calling a CLP in a reserved manner, without his cognizance. 

This should not have ended like this, I am hurt: Captain

“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," Singh said. “Priyanka and Rahul (Gandhi siblings) are like my children. This should not have ended like this. I am hurt,” Singh said, claiming that the Gandhi siblings were novices and that their advisors were clearly misguiding them.

Hinting that he had still kept his political ventures open, Amarinder Singh said he was talking to his friends before deciding on his future course of action. “You can be old at 40 and young at 80,” he stated, making it clear that he did not consider age as a hurdle.

Captain Amarinder Singh shocked at the way things were happening

Responding to the accusations that he failed to take arbitrary action against the Badals and Majithia in the sacrilege and drugs cases, the former Chief Minister said that 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 counterparts over allegations of not taking action against ministers involved in the mining mafia, Singh said, “Those very ministers are now with these leaders!”

Mocking the approach with which Punjab was being run by Delhi, Captain Amarinder Singh expressed shock at the way things were taking place.  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 shaped the selection of the new leadership in the state.

Captain lambasts Sidhu's role in the Punjab government

Taking a dig at Sidhu’s notable 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, opposing 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. “If Sidhu behaves as the super CM, the party won’t function,” Singh 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.

(With inputs from ANI)

Image: PTI