A day after outspoken leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira parted ways from the Congress, the party on Saturday infringed into the cadre of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to bolster its chances in the State.
Announcing the induction of workers of the these parties, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that the departure of Khaira is not going to impact the party.
He said, “There is nothing to worry about. One person goes and several join the party.” The new entrants in Congress include SGPC member Inder Mohan Singh lakhmirwala and 21 workers of AAP’s Sangrur unit.
Downplaying Khaira leaving the party, Capt Amarinder said, “Sukhpal is like my son, His father was a good friend of mine and a cabinet colleague.
After facing three defeats, he might have seen better prospects for him in the other party. And in politics, I have seen a number of similar party hopping.”
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Capt Amarinder seemed to be in a damage control mode. He offered his apology to senior Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar for not being able to give him due importance in Congress rally at Bathinda on December 15.
launching a scathing attack on AAP, Capt said AAP was a new phenomenon, the party had touched the emotions of the people but the image of party was going down.
He said that with dismal performance of AAP in Delhi people were getting distracted from the party. He even announced that he would get analytical reports of AAP’s performance in Delhi in a few days and that performance would be brought before the public.
Targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Capt Amarinder said, “when he was with Anna (Hazare) he said that he will never contest polls and now he has become the CM (of Delhi). How can you trust himIJ”
He claimed that position of Congress was strong as SAD-BJP combine have come to a naught and AAP did not even have an organisational set up in the State.
He said that Punjab was facing massive challenges like a debt of `1.25 lac crore, farmers were committing suicides, industry was in mess and a firm and decisive Government was required to bring the State out of the problems.
Capt Amarinder said that the state unit will press for the early announcement of candidates for the assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2017. He also said that the PCC was being reconstituted and it will be announced very soon.
Capt Amarinder ridiculed the allegations of having any understanding with the Badals.
He pointed out, he had falsely been implicated by the Badals in two cases and has been fighting these cases in the courts for last nine years.
“The only defence I have is in the courts as otherwise the Badals tried everything to implicate me”, he said while replying to a question on the issue.
He was accompanied by senior party leaders including former union minister Manish Tewari, Jagmeet Singh Brar, laal Singh and Sunil Jakhar in the Press interaction.