Stubborn’ Amarinder Singh thought he does not need advice: What Harish Rawat said on Captain
Harish Rawat said on Friday Amarinder Singh was controlling both the government and the party from his farmhouse and no one asked him a question regarding his absence from the secretariat, visits in the districts
Amid the ongoing Punjab tussle which culminated in Captain Amarinder Singh announcing that he will resign from the Congress, Congress leader Harish Rawat who is in charge of the Punjab affairs said Captain Amarinder Singh was of the belief that he does not need any advice from anyone, including his own MLAs and ministers and party leadership. While Harish Rawat made this comment referring to the Bargadi desecration issue and the other issues that the Amarinder Singh government was facing, Rawat also said how the Captain was controlling the state and the party from his farmhouse and never paid heed to the suggestions made by the Congress committees
“There was a general perception throughout the state that Captain and the Badals are helping each other and they have a secret understanding. I was always politely suggesting him to initiate action on our election promises. At least five times I discussed these issues with Captain sahib but with no result,” Rawat said
Rawat said the Bargadi issue was not deftly handled by the Captain and the Congress high command formed a three-member panel which submitted 18 points for implementation. There were drug issues, power tariffs etc as well in the recommendations. “Captain Amarinder Singh did not implement even one out of these eighteen points,” Rawat said.
'Amarinder Singh didn't bother to telephone me'
Harish Rawat said when there was a demand for a CLP meeting, he sent the message to Amarinder Singh through one of Singh's well-wishers, but there was no response from him. Amarinder Singh did not call Rawat, he claimed.
“Then I suggested to the party high command, that if we delay the matter then many MLAs may form a separate group or may create some more problem for the party. It was then decided to call a CLP meeting. I then officially informed Captain Amarinder Singh that the party has called a CLP meeting and requested him to attend the meeting,
Referring to those 18 points that a Congress panel recommended for Punjab, Harish Rawat said that he discussed those points with the Captain and brought those 18 points to five points. “After this, 20 days passed, and we didn't hear anything from him. The Congress MLAs and ministers were getting restless,” Rawat said, explaining why Amarinder Singh lost the support of the MLAs.
'Amarinder Singh did not bless Channi, refuses to meet me'
Harish Rawat said Amarinder Singh was expected to bless Charanjit Singh Channi, the new chief minister. But he did nothing. “I tried thrice to meet him, even I used the services of some of our common friends for meeting him at his residence, but he denied meeting me. The newly appointed chief minister also asked for his blessing, and he said that he will call him for lunch or tea, but nothing has happened," Rawat said
'Theory of humiliation to gain sympathy'
Harish Rawat said the theory of being humiliated by the party comes to gain sympathy. “The humiliation-based sympathy politics may help a person, but it will not help Punjab. Captain Amarinder was controlling both the government and the party from his farmhouse (home). No one asks him a question regarding his absence from the secretariat, visits in the districts etc
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