Chandigarh: Former Uttarakhand chief minister and the in-charge of the Congress in Punjab Harish Rawat said on Friday that there is no truth in reports that former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was insulted by the Congress.
Rawat further said that Captain was under some ‘sort of pressure’. Rawat also said that Captain should not help the BJP ‘directly on indirectly’.
While addressing media today Rawat said, “No facts in reports that state Captain Amarinder Singh was insulted by Congress. It appears from Captain’s recent statements that he is under some sort of pressure. He should rethink, and not help BJP directly or indirectly.”
“All that has been done by the Congress party till now is to protect the respect and dignity of Captain Amarinder Singh and increase the party’s chances (in 2022 assembly polls) in Punjab,” he added.
Speaking to reporters in Dehradun, Rawat said, “The theory of humiliation of Amarinder Singh is totally wrong. His meetings with Amit Shah and other BJP leaders are raising questions on his secular credentials which has always been the core of his politics for all these years. The BJP is trying to make him their mask in Punjab which is not his stature.”
Rawat’s remarks come a day after Singh scotched speculation of his joining BJP but said he will quit the Congress, which he asserted was going downhill with senior leaders being ignored.
Punjab Congress drama began when in July, the Congress party appointed Navjot Sidhu as its Punjab Chief even though Captain Amarinder Singh was not happy with the decision. Following this, in August, four ministers and approximately two dozen party legislators raised complaints against Amarinder Singh which pointed out a fact that they did not believe in him anymore.
Previously Amarinder Singh said that he has no intentions to leave Congress and will take a decision in future if any. Several media reports also said that Sonia Gandhi had told Captain to resign and therefore the emergency meeting was schedule in the evening. The meeting which will be held at 5pm will now decide who will become the new Chief Minister of Punjab.
After his resignation, BJP leaders including Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij and party national general secretary Tarun Chugh had invited Captain to join hands with BJP.
Not only, Amarinder Singh, but all nationalist forces in Punjab should join hands “to defeat the gameplan of the Congress”, Vij had said.
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