New Delhi: Congress leader Alka Lamba, says that former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh was forced to target Congress Leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. She says that Captain was โspeaking BJPโs language.โ
Reacting to the remarks made by Amarinder Singh referring to Imran Khan requesting through โa known personโ to take Sidhu into the cabinet after his โremovalโ, Lamba said Amarinder Singh was holding the press conference in BJP headquarters and was only the โfaceโ but the words โbelong to his ally partyโ.
Punjab Lok Congress (Amarinderโs Party) is an ally of Bhartiya Janta Party, for the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections.
โHe (Captain) addressed the press conference in Delhi at BJP headquarters. So, you should understand that he was only the face, but the words belong to BJP because he has formed an alliance with it for the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab,โ Lamba told ANI.
She alleged that these remarks made by Sing were โout of pressure.โ He was โforced to make the remarksโ.
Amarinder Singh had said on Monday that he got a request from Pakistan Prime Minister for โinductingโ Navjot Singh Sidhu into his cabinet after he was removed due to โincompetenceโ.
Amarinder Singh, who floated Punjab Lok Congress after resigning as Chief Minister in September last year, said the Pakistan Prime Minister in his request conveyed through a person โknown to themโ termed Sidhu as an โold friendโ and said he could be removed later if he does not work.
Though Amarinder Singh did not name the Pakistan Prime Minister, his apparent reference is to Imran Khan, whose swearing-in function Sidhu attended. Amarinder Singh had asked Sidhu, who is now Punjab Congress chief, to reconsider his decision to attend the function.
โPakistan PM sent a request if you can take Sidhu into your cabinet I will be grateful, he is an old friend of mine. You can remove him if does not work,โ Amarinder Singh said at a press conference.
Amarinder Singhโs Punjab Lok Congress is fighting the Punjab polls, to be held on February 20, in alliance with the BJP.
Amarinder Singh stated the reason to remove Sidhu from Cabinet was that โhe was incompetent, incapable and totally uselessโ.
โI think two-three weeks later I get a message from somebody we know, he knows and I knowโฆthat there is a request to take Sidhu (in cabinet) if possible. If he does not work, remove him,โ Amarinder Singh said.
Sidhu hugging Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa during his Pakistan visit led to a huge controversy and Amarinder Singh criticized him. Sidhu was later divested of Local Bodies Department and resigned as minister in Amarinder Singh government in June 2019.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.