Amarinder back with a bang
Walking “without a stick” or any support, 82-year-old former CM and now BJP leader, Capt Amarinder Singh, came out of his two-year hibernation with a message that he was sensitive to Punjab’s problems and was fit for another hit at politics.
The visit is set to shake Punjab politics where the AAP government is facing a hard time in the procurement of paddy; the main regional party, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has lost its moorings; and the BJP did not include the “ageing” and “hibernating” Capt Amarinder Singh in its strategy regarding Punjab.
Capt Amarinder Singh — in his media interviews and optics — seemed to convey a message that he was here for another run. He had stayed away from public appearance after having a spinal surgery from Switzerland. He has lost nearly 30 kg of weight.
He highlighted his fitness in media interviews, saying he could “walk without a stick”. The visit at around 10 am was early compared to the “usual” practice of the former CM planning events around noon or later. He also gave media interviews besides taking a TV crew with him.
His resurfacing coincides with the BJP showing renewed trust in Capt Amarinder’s former Congress colleague and now state BJP president Sunil Jakhar.