Harsimrat Badal derides Congress over infighting, calls party's Punjab unit 'comedy show'

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday attacked the Congress party over the infighting in its Punjab unit. The SAD leader also stated that the ruling Congress party in the state has become a comedy show after the arrival of Navjot Singh Sidhu. Badal's remarks come after months of dramatic developments in the Punjab Congress as infighting raged within the grand old party. 

Badal also took a dig at Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and the Congress party and said that she would ask production houses from Mumbai to make a comedy show in Punjab. Badal also hit out at the Congress party and said that people are suffering due to their drama. 

"Because of Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress Party has become a comedy show in Punjab. I would ask production houses from Mumbai to come and make a comedy show here in Punjab. Amid all of their drama the common people of Punjab are being crushed," said Harsimrat Kaur Badal 

The former Union Minister also hit out at the Congress-led Punjab government over the rise in dengue cases and claimed that it had not paid for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), leading to its suspension. 

"The central scheme through which treatment can be availed, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)  has been suspended in Punjab because the state government didn't provide the payment," the Senior Akali Dal leader said

Moreover, she also cited recent quotes by senior Congress leader Manish Tewari who had a similar take on the Punjab Congress infighting. Tewari criticised the grand old party's politics and infighting in Punjab and remarked that it was displaying chaos and anarchy. 

"However, in my 40 years plus in Congress, I have never seen such chaos... anarchy as what is playing out in Congress Punjab today. Repeated open defiance of AICC by a PCC President, colleagues squabbling publicly with each other like children," Manish Tewari had tweeted earlier.

Infighting looms within Punjab Congress 

The prolonged infighting in Punjab Congress was sparked off due to differences between Navjot Singh Sidhu and former Congress leader and ex-Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Eventually, Sidhu was named as the Punjab Congress chief and Amarinder Singh resigned as the Chief Minister a few days later. Following that, the grand old party-appointed 58-year-old Dalit leader and Sidhu aide Charanjit Singh Channi as the state's Chief Minister. 

Subsequently, the crisis continued as Sidhu yet again rebelled against Channi as the new cabinet was finalised without his consideration. The Punjab Congress chief was also miffed at the induction of Rana Gurjeet Singh into the cabinet and only Pargat Singh - among Sidhu loyalists - getting a portfolio of his choice. Sidhu had also opposed the appointment of Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota and Amar Preet Singh Deol as the DGP and AG respectively over the links to the 2015 sacrilege case, but Channi has affirmed that the two appointments will not be revoked. Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh has announced that he will float his own party and eyes an alliance with BJP or Akali Dal factions. 

With ANI inputs