New Delhi: The Congress had always suspected that Captain Amarinder Singh was playing into the hands of the BJP and the former chief minister’s move to join the saffron party has tarnished his image in the state, AICC Secretary in charge of Punjab Chetan Chauhan says in a conversation with ETV Bharat.
Q. Capt Amarinder Singh is going to merge his Punjab Lok Congress party with the BJP and he will join the saffron party on September 19. How is Congress looking at the development?
A. See, we had always suspected that Captain Amarinder Singh was playing into the hands of the BJP, even before he left Congress in 2021 and floated his own party. We had information about his plans but we were just watching his moves. Now that suspicion is turning out to be true.
Also read: Punjab former CM Capt Amarinder Singh to merge his party with BJP on Sept 19
Q. Capt Amarinder’s parting ways with the Congress led to a lot of bitterness between him and the party. Could the party managers have handled the issue in a better way?
A. I don’t think the parting was bitter. The circumstances were such that the High Command was forced to remove him. The party then brought in a Dalit Sikh Charanjit Singh Channi as the new chief minister ahead of the 2022 assembly polls to send a message among the voters.
Q. Do you think the BJP would gain in Punjab by taking in the former chief minister?
A. No. Captain has already tarnished his image first by ditching the Congress, which gave him so much, and now by joining the BJP, which is taking him in only for the sake of publicity. The people are not happy with Captain.
Q. Did Captain’s exit damage the Congress?
A. No, I don’t think so. We lost the polls due to anti-incumbency and the confusion that he created before the polls. In fact, his exit has paved the way for a new set of leaders to emerge and take charge. State unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring is a dynamic leader and CLP Partap Singh Bajwa is an experienced politician. They are steering the party.
Q. There had been some complaints against Captain’s wife and Lok Sabha MP from Patiala Preneet Kaur. Can you give us an update on that?
A. Many leaders had complained that she had campaigned along with Captain against the official party candidate during the assembly polls in Patiala. The issue was referred to the high command and may be taken up after the AICC president polls are over. There are technical issues involved here as she is an MP.
Also read: AAP slams Congress for 'silence' on BJP's alleged poaching bid
Q. As the main opposition, how is the Congress regrouping in Punjab?
A. After losing assembly polls, we are in the process of revamping local teams at the district and block level. We recently elected the PCC delegates who will vote in the election for the new party president, if polling takes place. In August, we carried out yatras in all the 117 assembly constituencies to connect with the voters and energize the workers. Now, we are focusing on the 2024 national elections.
Q. What are the challenges that Congress faces in the northern state?
A. We are trying to regain lost ground but our leaders are being targeted by the state government. False cases have been lodged against PCC chief Raja Warring, and state working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu is in jail. Our leader Moosewala was killed. Yet, we are determined to fight the ruling AAP as well the BJP and the Akali Dal.
Q. What are the preparations for the Bharat Jodo Yatra?
A. The yatra would reach Punjab in November. Though the focus would be on the main yatra, our workers would spread out across the state to reach out to the voters during that time.
