The BJP on Sunday lost no time to fish in the troubled 'Congress waters' in the border State of Punjab and sought to gleefully muddy it further by questioning the credentials of the party's new pick as State Chief Minister, Charanjit Channi, who, it said, was facing a "MeToo case" and the trustworthiness of an "anti-national" State Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu.
BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya came on Twitter and sought to report an alleged past case of misappropriate behaviour of the new Punjab CM against a lady IAS officer.
"Congress’s CM pick Charanjit Channi faces action in a 3-year-old #MeToo case. He had allegedly sent an inappropriate text to a woman IAS officer in 2018. It was covered up but the case resurfaced when Punjab Women's Commission sent notice. Well done, Rahul", Malviya tweeted.
He also picked up th Sidhu issue on his Twitter account saying, " Punjab, a border state, which sees regular infiltration, smuggling of illegal arms and narcotics from Pakistan, can’t be trust with Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has ties with Pak PM and Army Chief, says Capt Amarinder Singh, an Army veteran. But then why are the Gandhis pushing Sidhu?"
Earlier, senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar also the Congress top leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to explain their stand on former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh calling Congress State President Navjyot Singh Sidhu an "anti-national".
Addressing a press conference here, Javadekar questioned the Congress on the party's "silence'' over "very serious allegations" against Sidhu made by Amarinder Singh.
"Captain Amarinder Singh has levelled very serious allegations against Navjot Singh Sidhu. He has called him anti-national. Navjot Singh Sidhu had visited Pakistan and greeted (Pakistan Army Chief) Bajwa after Pakistan had attacked us. The country knew this, but yesterday Amarinder Singh Sidhu has highlighted this, " said
"Our (BJP) question to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi is why are they silent? This is a huge allegation. This is why we demand Congress should speak out and clear their stand."
"Will Congress take stock of these allegations and initiate an inquiry on Navjot Singh Sidhu," he asked.
After resigning from the post of the Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he would oppose Sidhu if nominated as Punjab CM and described him as irresponsible and dangerous.
"I will never allow that man to come. He is an anti-national element. I will not allow him. He is too mixed up with Pakistan," Captain Amarinder Singh said.
The former CM pointed out Sidhu's speech at Kartarpur where he praised Pakistan Prime minister Imran Khan as well as his controversial hug to Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Qamar Javed Bajwa. Sidhu had then defended his actions
The former CM has said he would decide his future course of action in consultations with his supporters. Amarinder dismissed speculations of him cosying-up to the BJP saying his earlier meetings with Prime Minister Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah were linked to the important issues including those pertaining to the internal security.