Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh slams Navjot Singh Sidhu as power battle in Punjab takes ugly turn.
Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as Punjab Chief Minister on Saturday amid power tussle with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Navjot Singh Sidhu, going on and on for months. Captain tendered his resignation along with his council of ministers to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Soon after he resigned, Amarinder Singh said he was humiliated.
Launching an all out attack at Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder Singh raised serious questions on his capability as a leader saying the person who couldn't run his own ministry, how will he be able to run the state.
Navjot Singh Sidhu is incompetent: Amarinder Singh
Speaking to ANI, Amarinder Singh said, "...Navjot Singh Sidhu is an incompetent man, he is going to be a disaster. I will oppose his name for the next chief mininster face. He has a connection with Pakistan. It will be a threat to national security."
Sidhu is friends with Pak PM Imran Khan, army chief: Captain Amarinder Singh
"He is friends with (Pakistan Army chief) Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, I will oppose if he is chosen as the next CM face...," the Captain said.
Will oppose Sidhu's name for CM: Former CM Amarinder Singh
"For sake of my country, I'll oppose his (Navjot Singh Sidhu) name for CM of Punjab. It's a matter of national security. Pakistan PM Imran Khan is his friend. Sidhu has a relation with Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa," the former Punjab CM added.
Further speaking on his future plans or whether he is in talks with BJP, Amarinder Singh said, "no talks with anyone, just submitted my resignation to Governor today..."
"'I am sorry Amarinder, said Congress President Sonia Gandhi after I spoke with her over my resignation, this morning," Amarinder Singh mentioned.
Differences between Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu have been visible ever since he (Sidhu) was inducted in the Punjab government under Captain's leadership.
Time and again the fued between the two leaders embarassed the Congress party when Sidhu continued attacking Captain's leadership.
ALSO READ | 'Humiliated' Captain Amarinder Singh resigns as Punjab CM, along with his council of ministers
Besides Navjot Singh Sidhu, among the names doing the rounds as Amarinder Singh's replacement included former PCC chiefs Sunil Jakhar and Pratap Bajwa and state ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria and Tript Rajinder Bajwa. Punjab always had a Sikh chief minister after the reorganisation of the state in 1966.
Congress sources said the party -- also battling dissensions in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where its governments are in power -- is trying to balance equations in the poll-bound state and is likely to appoint a Hindu face like Jakhar to the top post. Jakhar, who is not an MLA, is believed to be close to the top Congress leadership.
Navjot Singh Sidhu has been at loggerheads with Amarinder Singh ever since he quit the Punjab cabinet as a minister in 2019. He had become more vocal in his views in the last some months.
Last month, four ministers and around two dozen party legislators had raised the banner of revolt against the Punjab chief minister and said they had no faith in Amarinder Singh's ability to honour unfulfilled promises.
ALSO READ | Captain Amarinder Singh quits as Chief Minister. What next for Punjab Congress?
