Navjot Singh Sidhu aide Pargat Singh claims vindication as Amarinder hints at BJP tie-up

On Tuesday, the Navjot Singh Sidhu camp claimed vindication over Captain Amarinder Singh's announcement that he might tie up with BJP for the 2022 Punjab polls. Punjab Sports Minister Pargat Singh who is a key aide of the state Congress president told the media that he had been warning about the ex-CM's close ties with BJP for over a year. Moreover, he reiterated that Amarinder Singh was hand-in-gloves with the Badal family of the Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP. 

Pargat Singh remarked, "This is not a post but a pre-poll alliance. I have been saying this for one and a half years. I said this earlier as well that he (Amarinder Singh) is not alone. He is with the Badal family". Moreover, he added, "He used to get his agenda from BJP".  

Singh declared that he will launch his own political party soon to serve the interests of Punjab and hinted that it would have a seat-sharing pact with the saffron party provided the ant-farm laws protest is resolved. He also displayed a willingness to forge an alliance with the breakaway factions of the SAD such as the Dhindsa and Brahmpura factions. The senior Congress leader affirmed, ‘I will not rest till I can secure the future of my people and my state. Punjab needs political stability and protection from internal & external threats. I promise my people I will do what it takes to ensure its peace and security, which is today at stake". 

Congress pushes Amarinder Singh to the brink

Amid the infighting between Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, the situation escalated after Congress summoned a Legislative Party meeting at 5 pm on September 18 without keeping the Punjab CM in the loop. Amid growing speculation that Singh will be ousted, the latter tendered his resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at about 4.30 pm on the same day owing to "humiliation". Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, Singh asserted that he would remain active in politics. 

On September 29, he set the rumour mills abuzz by meeting Amit Shah at the latter's residence in Delhi. Officially commenting on the meeting, the Congress leader mentioned, "Discussed the prolonged farmers' agitation against farm laws and urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with the repeal of the laws and guarantee MSP, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification". A day later, he met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to discuss security-related issues. After returning to Punjab on the same day, Singh announced that he will leave Congress but not join BJP.  

Meanwhile, AICC Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat strongly countered the charge that he was humiliated by Congress. Contending that his "closeness" to BJP leaders raises a question mark on his "secular credentials", Rawat asserted in a press briefing on October 1 that Congress always treated him with respect. Justifying the need for a change of guard in Punjab, he opined that Singh had failed to act on the 18-point formula in a time-bound manner leading to discontent among a large section of Congress MLAs. Furthermore, he urged the former Punjab CM to not help BJP directly or indirectly.