Capt Amarinder Singh predicts “abysmal” defeat for Punjab Congress chief Sidhu from Amritsar East

|HT|

Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh on Monday predicted an “abysmal” defeat for Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar East, saying the Punjab Congress chief won from this seat in the past only with the support of the BJP. He dubbed as a “farce”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s announcement that the party’s chief ministerial face will be decided with inputs from the ground.

After filing his nomination papers from Patiala Urban and inaugurating his party office in the city, Capt Amarinder Singh termed Sidhu’s charge “ridiculous” that he was behind the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to field Bikram Singh Majithia against the state Congress chief.

“I am not Majithia’s uncle,” said the PLC leader, adding that with 38% of the voters in Amritsar East being Hindus and 32% Scheduled Caste, Sidhu’s defeat was certain. The BJP, as part of the alliance with PLC and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), has fielded a strong candidate from the constituency, he added. The SAD has fielded Majithia from Amritsar East seat from where Sidhu is seeking re-election in the February 20 assembly polls.

On Gandhi’s statement that the Congress would announce its chief ministerial candidate in the state after taking inputs from the ground, Capt Amarinder Singh said this was just “theatrics”. He pointed out that as per procedure, people elect their MLAs and then the Congress Legislature Party decides on the chief minister. “So, all this talk is just drama.”

On the farmers’ decision to contest the assembly polls, Capt Amarinder Singh said it was their right to do so. He said he had always personally supported farmers, and pointed out that his government had announced jobs and ₹5 lakh to the kin of each of the farmers who died during the agitation against the farm laws. He exuded confidence that the PLC-BJP-SAD Sanyukt alliance will form the next government in Punjab.

He said the decision to allow some of the PLC candidates to contest on the BJP symbol was taken keeping in mind the voter demographics.

While four PLC candidates will contest on the BJP poll symbol in urban segments, two will fight on the PLC symbol in the rural constituencies, he said in the party statement.

According to the seat sharing arrangement, the BJP is fighting on 65 seats, PLC 37 and SAD (Sanyukt) 15 seats.

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