Capt Amarinder tears into Congress over secularism row; reminds party of Sidhu's BJP stint

On the verge of alliance with the BJP and breakaway Akali groups, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, launched an unsparing attack on the Congress, his party of more than 40 years. 

Captain said Congress is in no position to talk about 'secularism', given its alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, and the induction of multiple BJP and RSS leaders, including its current Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

The attacks were mainly directed at Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat, who claimed that Captain had "killed the secular Amarinder within him" by deciding to launch a new party and allying with the BJP.  

"Stop talking about secularism Harish Rawat ji. Don't forget that Congress took in Sidhu after he was with the BJP for 14 years. And where did Nana Patole and Revnath Reddy come from if not RSS? And Pargat Singh was with the Akali Dal for 4 years!" said the former Chief Minister, as per a tweet by his media advisor Raveen Thukral. 

Reacting to claims that he colluded with the rival Shiromani Akali Dal during his 4 and a half years' tenure as CM, Captain asked,  "Is that why I've been fighting court cases against them for the last 10 years? And why I’ve won all elections for Congress in Punjab since 2017?"

One of the tallest leaders in Punjab, who single-handedly heralded the party to victory in 2017, Captain Amarinder said Congress has damaged its own interests by not trusting him and handing over the state to an 'unstable' person like Navjot Singh Sidhu who is 'only loyal to himself.'

"Your apprehension is that I will damage the interests of Congress in Punjab. But the fact is, the party has damaged its own interests by not trusting me and giving the state unit into the hands of an unstable person like Sidhu who is only loyal to himself," said Captain. 

'What a fraud you are!': Captain tells Sidhu

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who accused the ex-CM of being an architect of farm laws and benefiting a few corporates, was not spared either. 

Lashing out at his bête noire, Captain Amarinder said, "What a fraud and cheat you are Sidhu! You’re trying to pass off my 15-year-old crop diversification initiative as connected with Farm Laws, against which I’m still fighting and with which I’ve linked my own political future!"

Captain Amarinder Singh announced on Tuesday that he will form his own party, weeks after quitting Congress following an internal tussle. Reacting to the development, senior leader Harish Rawat opined that Captain has proven the apprehensions of MLAs to be correct. "If he wants to eat crow and go with the BJP, he can. Who can stop him if he can't stay with his old commitment to secularism?" he said.