New Delhi, May 27
Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh continues to be in the eye of the storm. A day after a few Congress legislators appealed to party president Sonia Gandhi seeking action against him, another four-page protest letter carrying the signatures of the AICC members, PPCC members and party workers was today sent to the party headquarters here.
The letter seeks the strictest possible action against Amarinder Singh, besides gives a detail of the elections lost during his tenure as the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief and also during his tenure as Chief Minister.
This letter has about 60 signatures of Punjab leaders, including a couple of AICC members, six odd PPCC members and party workers.
The letter demands strict disciplinary action against Amarinder Singh and blames him for having helped the Akalis win the recent
byelection in Amritsar. It alleges that he was afraid of the court cases against him filed by the ruling Akali-BJP and hence he did not campaign. “His behaviour indicates that he has reached some kind of understanding with Sukhbir Badal during his sojourns at Dubai”, the letters goes on to allege.
It seems Amarinder Singh joined the party only to enjoy big posts and when denied he opted to go on a self-styled exile which caused irreparable damage to the party cadre, claim the leaders.
The Congress leaders have pointed out that his claims of being a great leader were hollow. After having left the Congress in 1984, he formed his own party and failed miserably the hustling. He has also tested his popularity twice without the Congress party backing him and on both occasions he lost his deposit. Once he contested Kharar (near Mohali) in 1992, and another time he contested from Dakala (near Patiala) in 1972.
The leaders are also quick to point out that during the tenure of Amarinder Singh as Punjab Pardesh Congress chief, the party lost four bye-elections. The Congress lost at Nawanshahar, Sunam, Majitha and Adampur in the bye-elections held between 1997 and 2002.
And even when he was the Chief Minister the Congress could win only two of the 13 seats in parliamentary elections. During the last Assembly elections the Congress was wiped off from the Majha and Doaba belt. The Malwa belt was won with the support of the Dear Sacha Sauda.
Crucially the letter tries to touch an emotive chord alleging that Amarinder Singh chose to attend the function to mark the death anniversary of Sant Harchand Singh Longowal (former SAD chief) while ignoring the Congress function to mark the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. It also points out that Amarinder Singh had been missing the party functions across the state, including those to mark the death anniversary of slain Punjab chief minister Beant Singh.
Meanwhile, attempts made by The Tribune to seek the version of Amarinder Singh on the contents of the letter, by contacting him over his mobile number proved futile.
It may be mentioned here that some four weeks ago the party high command had asked Amarinder and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to “keep shut”.
