Chandigarh: Former Chief Minister of Punjab Amarinder Singh Continued his attack on Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday and said that he feels the cricketer-turned-politician is undermining Chief Minister Charanjit Singh channiHas the right to.
He also said that the kind of situation Sidhu has created was never seen before in Punjab.
When asked whether Sidhu is undermining Channi’s authority, the veteran Congress The leader, who returned to Chandigarh on Thursday evening after visiting Delhi, said, “I think so.
“Sidhu’s job is to run the party affairs and Channi’s job is to run the government. There is never any interference. I have been PCC chief thrice.
“Both (state Congress committee chief and chief minister) consult each other, but the final decision rests with Channi, who is the chief minister, not Sidhu,” Singh told reporters at the Chandigarh airport.
Sidhu on Tuesday abruptly resigned as the state Congress chief, plunging the ruling party in Punjab into a fresh crisis ahead of the assembly elections.
The cricketer-turned-politician on Wednesday raised questions on the state’s Director General of Police, Advocate General and ‘tainted’ leaders being made ministers.
When asked who should be removed from the cabinet or who should be made a minister, Singh said that these decisions have to be taken by the Chief Minister.
“It is the chief minister’s job to appoint, remove or transfer ministers or officers. What does the PCC president have to do with it?” He asked.
Singh said that in the nine-and-a-half years when he was the chief minister (2002-07 and March 2017 to September 2021), there have been several PCC chiefs.
“We used to talk and consult each other, but the kind of situation Sidhu has created has never been seen,” he said.
When asked to comment on the current developments in the state, Singh said, “I have already said that Sidhu is not the right person for Punjab.”
“And from where he will contest, I will not let him win,” the former chief minister insisted.
Singh had earlier accused Sidhu of being close to Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan and alleged that he was “dangerous” to the border state.
Asked whether any Congress MLA or minister would follow him if he formally parted ways, he asked, “Do you think I will tell you this?”
On the question whether floor test should be held in view of the current situation in the assembly? Punjab Congress“These matters are for the Speaker to see… It is not my business,” Singh said.
When asked about media reports that he might form a regional party before the assembly elections, he replied with a straightforward but mild-mannered quip, “Media reports also say that I am going to be at 12 noon today. I am going to join BJP.”
Singh again reiterated that he would not join the saffron party but said he would leave the Congress.
“I am not going to be in Congress, but I am not joining BJP,” he said.
Asked when he would resign from the Congress, Singh said, “I will tell you at an appropriate time.”
During his visit to the national capital, Singh held separate meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
He resigned from the chief minister’s post on 18 September after the Congress accused him of humiliating him.
Singh said during his meeting with Shah and Doval he raised security concerns as Punjab is a border state.
“There are security issues, which I raised. For the last four years, I have been watching what is happening in Punjab. Drones (from across the border) are coming daily. There are some that have been intercepted, but some There may be others who don’t know where they are going…all these issues are related to national security.”
Channi was recently elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party of the state. He took oath as the Chief Minister on 20 September.
He also said that the kind of situation Sidhu has created was never seen before in Punjab.
When asked whether Sidhu is undermining Channi’s authority, the veteran Congress The leader, who returned to Chandigarh on Thursday evening after visiting Delhi, said, “I think so.
“Sidhu’s job is to run the party affairs and Channi’s job is to run the government. There is never any interference. I have been PCC chief thrice.
“Both (state Congress committee chief and chief minister) consult each other, but the final decision rests with Channi, who is the chief minister, not Sidhu,” Singh told reporters at the Chandigarh airport.
Sidhu on Tuesday abruptly resigned as the state Congress chief, plunging the ruling party in Punjab into a fresh crisis ahead of the assembly elections.
The cricketer-turned-politician on Wednesday raised questions on the state’s Director General of Police, Advocate General and ‘tainted’ leaders being made ministers.
When asked who should be removed from the cabinet or who should be made a minister, Singh said that these decisions have to be taken by the Chief Minister.
“It is the chief minister’s job to appoint, remove or transfer ministers or officers. What does the PCC president have to do with it?” He asked.
Singh said that in the nine-and-a-half years when he was the chief minister (2002-07 and March 2017 to September 2021), there have been several PCC chiefs.
“We used to talk and consult each other, but the kind of situation Sidhu has created has never been seen,” he said.
When asked to comment on the current developments in the state, Singh said, “I have already said that Sidhu is not the right person for Punjab.”
“And from where he will contest, I will not let him win,” the former chief minister insisted.
Singh had earlier accused Sidhu of being close to Pakistan and its Prime Minister Imran Khan and alleged that he was “dangerous” to the border state.
Asked whether any Congress MLA or minister would follow him if he formally parted ways, he asked, “Do you think I will tell you this?”
On the question whether floor test should be held in view of the current situation in the assembly? Punjab Congress“These matters are for the Speaker to see… It is not my business,” Singh said.
When asked about media reports that he might form a regional party before the assembly elections, he replied with a straightforward but mild-mannered quip, “Media reports also say that I am going to be at 12 noon today. I am going to join BJP.”
Singh again reiterated that he would not join the saffron party but said he would leave the Congress.
“I am not going to be in Congress, but I am not joining BJP,” he said.
Asked when he would resign from the Congress, Singh said, “I will tell you at an appropriate time.”
During his visit to the national capital, Singh held separate meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval.
He resigned from the chief minister’s post on 18 September after the Congress accused him of humiliating him.
Singh said during his meeting with Shah and Doval he raised security concerns as Punjab is a border state.
“There are security issues, which I raised. For the last four years, I have been watching what is happening in Punjab. Drones (from across the border) are coming daily. There are some that have been intercepted, but some There may be others who don’t know where they are going…all these issues are related to national security.”
Channi was recently elected as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party of the state. He took oath as the Chief Minister on 20 September.
.