The crisis in Congress escalated with former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh announcing that he will quit Congress soon and senior leader P Chidambaram joining Ghulam Nabi Azad, B S Hooda and Anand Sharma to criticise protests by a group of workers outside G23 leader and former minister Kapil Sibal’s house.
While Amarinder also clarified that he is not joining BJP, his departure from Congress puts paid to efforts to mollify him even as the sudden resignation of his rival Navjot Singh Sidhu as Punjab state chief continues to roil the party, posing a stiff challenge to the Gandhis who have backed the former cricketer. “I will not remain in Congress. I have already made my position very clear. I will not be treated in this manner,” Amarinder said. Later, he dropped Congress from his twitter profile.
He also let out that a new force will come up in Punjab, suggesting launch of a new party. If he does do that, it would be for the second time, having floated a party when he left Congress protesting Operation Bluestar.
Capt meets Amit Shah
Amarinder had an hour-long meeting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his home in Delhi amid the Congress's crisis in Punjab and speculation about his joining the BJP days after he stepped down from the top post in the state. His media advisor Raveen Thukral had said, "too much being read into Amarinder's visit to Delhi". "He is on a personal visit, during which he'll meet some friends and vacate Kapurthala House (the Punjab Chief Minister's residence in the national capital)... No need for unnecessary speculation," he had added.
While stepping down, Amarinder said he was "humiliated" thrice by the Congress leadership in his battle with Sidhu. He also said his political options were open and that he would take a decision after talking to "friends". After meeting Amit Shah, Amarinder also met National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. Amarinder met Doval at his residence here. The meeting between the two lasted for around 30 minutes.
Rawat and Amarinder in war of words
A day after Amarinder announced that he would quit Congress, the former CM came under a no holds-barred attack from AICC’s Punjab minder Harish Rawat who alleged that Captain had circulated the theory about “humiliation” at the hands of Congress leadership to gain sympathy. On the former Punjab CM’s recent meeting with Amit Shah, Rawat said that it “raises a question mark over his secular credentials”.“Amarinder’s ideology does not align with that of BJP leaders and I believe they are simply using him as a mukhauta (mask),” Rawat said.
Amarinder hit back at Rawat’s “outrageous claims and allegations”, which he said were clearly prompted by the “pathetic” situation the party now found itself in Punjab after being on a winning spree for four and a half years.
Rising unhappiness
Chidambaram’s tweet pointed to rising unhappiness over how Rahul and Priyanka have handled Punjab, as he said, “I feel helpless when we cannot start meaningful conversations within party forums. I also feel hurt and helpless when I see pictures of Congress workers raising slogans outside the residence of a colleague and MP. The safe harbour to which one can withdraw seems to be silence.” Manish Tiwari and Shashi Tharoor also came out strongly in Sibal’s support a day after family loyalists like Ajay Maken suggested that the senior lawyer was an ingrate in questioning Sonia Gandhi who “had sent him to Parliament and made him a Cabinet minister”.
Protesters damage Sibal’s car
Immediately afterwards, a group of party workers aggressively demonstrated in front of Sibal’s house which was pelted with tomatoes. The protesters also damaged his car. Statements from members of G23 - a grouping of party leaders who are unhappy with the current arrangement marked by the absence of a full-fledged party president, an elected Congress Working Committee (CWC) and where Rahul Gandhi takes crucial decisions without holding any formal role - suggested that they considered the protests to be a “command performance”.
G23 leader Ghulam Nabi Azad called for an urgent meeting of the CWC, and in what seemed like an effort at damage control, party spokesman and Rahul aide Randeep Surjewala said the apex panel is likely to meet soon. Azad is understood to have called for a meeting of the “core” CWC and not invitees, who, dissidents suspect, play the role of drum beaters for the official faction.
Support for Sibal, who had upset family loyalists by attacking the leadership for the mess in Punjab, made it clear that the fear of Gandhis getting annoyed with them, was speedily losing its deterrence value.
