Capt asks BSP, Left to join hands with Congress, avoid vote split
Sunday, 12/06/2016
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PATIALA: Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh has invited the Dalit and communist parties into an alliance “to avoid the splitting of anti-incumbency vote” in the 2017 elections.
Addressing a delegate session of the United Communist Party of India, which has extended support to the Congress, he asked the BSP, CPI and CPM on Saturday to do likewise or the vote division would benefit the Akali-BJP alliance. “Your other choices are a communal Akali-BJP alliance and an anarchist AAP that has no ideology, policy, or programme,” he told the Left and Dalit leaders. ‘WILL EXPOSE AKALIS WITH DRUG LINKS’ Commenting on the ‘Udta Punjab’ row, Amarinder said: “People need to know who is behind the drug problem and why the SAD is scared to let the film be released without cuts.”
Regarding the slapgate incident and a statement from expelled Congress leader Bir Devinder that Amarinder had double standards, the former CM said: “The case of Sukhjinder Randhawa is different from Bir Devinder’s, as both leaders involved have moved on without malice or blackmailing. Bir Devinder and Jagmeet Brar, however, had challenged the high command, including party president Sonia Gandhi, which was unacceptable. Now again Bir Devinder makes unnecessary statements. There is no question of taking him back.” ‘HOPING TO SEE RAHUL AS CONGRESS CHIEF’
A day before the Punjab visit of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Amarinder said he hoped to see Rahul elevated as party chief in the next AICC session. Amarinder, who had advocated recently that Rahul should take over the party, said the focus of his visit was on law and order, besides drugs.
