State Cong recast is prerogative of high command: Amarinder

Saturday, 05/09/2015

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DIRBA (SANGRUR): Following reports of a recast in the Punjab Congress, party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and Amritsar member of Parliament (MP) Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday said any changes in the party setup were prerogative of the party high command.

He, however, said the party should appoint any leader as the state Congress chief except the present incumbent Partap Singh Bajwa. Responding to a query if senior party leader Ambika Soni was being considered for the top post, Amarinder said he had already apprised the party high command of his views based on the ground realities. Amarinder said adding that the high command was seized of the matter.

“Everyone knows about my rallies. So, there is no need to send an invitation to anybody to attend the rallies,” said Captain when asked about in-charge of party affairs in Punjab Shakeel Ahmad saying he never received an invitation from Amarinder.

TRAINS GUNS ON BADALS
Targeting chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal, Amarinder said there was total administrative collapse in the state. While the senior Badal was busy in sangat darshans, his son was spending more time abroad at the expense of the state exchequer.

He said except Bikram Majithia, brother-in-law of Sukhbir, no other minister had any authority as they all had been reduced to rubber stamps. Amarinder was addressing a rally ‘Mission 2017’ organised by former MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman.

He charged the Badals with amassing wealth disproportionate to his assets. “While farmers are committing suicides, how could Badal amass such a huge wealth when he had inherited only 80 acres of land and a few buffaloes from his father? he questioned.

He said: “Kakaji (Sukhbir) has two seven-star hotels in Delhi, where a cup of tea costs more than the monthly old-age and widow pension given to the beneficiaries in Punjab. Now, he is constructing one more hotel near Chandigarh.”

Amarinder also termed the government “anti-industry” and said the faulty policies had forced the Industry to shift its base to other states.

‘NO DEVELOPMENT IN ISOLATION’
“Development does not take place in isolation. It’s like a chain where power, investment and employment are key components. These are interlinked and should be tackled simultaneously for development. Once the state takes care of these three components, youth will start getting jobs. In the absence of jobs, youths are going astray and out of frustration and lack of employment, they are taking to drugs,” he said.

Talking to the media, Amarinder said: “The Congress is in a strong position to defeat the Akali-BJP alliance and the Aam Aadmi Party in the state. While the Akali-BJP graph has touched an all-time low, people have no faith in AAP.”