Prashant Kishor impersonator inciting Punjab ministers against CM Amarinder? Case filed

Facing an internal crisis within the Congress and a barrage of criticism over the alleged COVID-19 vaccine scam, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has been caught up by another impediment just ahead of the Assembly Elections next year. As per reports, some unknown persons have been impersonating the Punjab CM's Principal Advisor Prashant Kishor to incite political leaders against Captain Amarinder Singh. The Punjab Police has registered a criminal case in the matter and is on the lookout for the culprits. 

As per the Punjab Police spokesperson, the police had received information that the said unknown persons had been making phone calls to political leaders and public representatives over the last 5-7 days in the assumed identity of Prashant Kishor. The callers which are said to be impersonating Prashant Kishor, a leading political strategist, had been reportedly encouraging the politicians to make public statements against the Punjab Chief Minister and to criticize his leadership. Moreover, these callers also assured political leaders that he would take up the case with the Congress High Command in Delhi, if they act on his (purportedly Kishor’s) advice.

A criminal case under sections 416, 419, 420, 109, 120-B of the IPC and section 66-D of the IT Act 2000 has been registered at PS Division no. 6, Commissionerate of Police, Ludhiana against the unknown callers, said the spokesperson.

Punjab Congress' Crisis 

The internal rift between Punjab's Congress unit was fanned after Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu was denied a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. Following this, the Sidhus attacked the Punjab CM repeatedly during the election campaign. He later patched up with CM Amarinder Singh over an informal lunch, but it seems to have gone awry as Sidhu began to attack the CM again after the Punjab & Haryana HC quashed the SIT probe into the 2015 firing cases on April 9. 

The cricketer-turned-politician has alleged that the Punjab government is being run by the Badals from behind the scenes. Sidhu's row with Captain Amarinder also stretches further back than this to the time when Sidhu had gone to Pakistan for Imran Khan's oath-taking as Pakistan's PM and had hugged Pak Army Chief Bajwa. Upon his return, when questioned about what Captain Singh's view is on this, Sidhu had said 'Kaun sa Captain? Rahul Gandhi is my captain'.

Flames of the internal rift were fanned once again when Navjot Singh Sidhu expressed his discontent with Congress' High Command. Sonia Gandhi had appointed a three-member panel to resolve the infighting and consequently, the panel deliberated with all factions, including Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu. As per its recommendations, Captain Amarinder Singh will continue to be Congress' Chief Ministerial face in the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections whereas Punjab Congress' incumbent chief Sunil Jakhar is likely to be moved out, sources said.  

(With PTI Inputs)