As we are aware, Capt. Amarinder Singh has made utterly malicious allegations against me yesterday, during his visit to Bholath constituency. He called me an opportunist who had backstabbed the party and vowed to teach me a lesson (Mein is nu “soot” karunga).It appears Capt. Singh is suffering from selective dementia and very conveniently prefers to forget blatant opportunism and arm-twisting tactics adopted by him, to usurp the office of President PPCC.If switching from political parties is opportunism, then no one has done better than Capt. Singh, keeping his political track record since 1980’s in mind. He first quit the Congress in 1984 and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. In 1986 he quit the SAD to join a breakaway group of 27 legislators headed by Sh. Parkash Singh Badal. In 1992 ignoring the call for boycott of assembly polls, Capt. Singh floated his own Panthic Akali Dal to contest the elections. Later he became a part of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). Capt. Singh once again turned to Sh. Badal in 1997 to seek a ticket from Talwandi Sabo, which was denied to him.
Having failed to find political fortunes in Akali politics, Capt. Singh returned to the Congress fold in 1998 and was appointed President PPCC, after losing the Patiala Lok Sabha. After a five years stint as Chief Minister, Capt. Singh lost two consecutive assembly polls of 2007 and 2012 as a leader.It has been an old habit of Capt. Singh to withdraw to comfortable luxurious life whenever the party suffered humiliating defeats, only to return as leader in the run up to polls by armtwisting techniques. He has willfully and purposely ensured that no other person could succeed as President PPCC, be it Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mohinder Singh Kaypee or Partap Singh Bajwa. He has blatantly indulged in gross indiscipline and raised a banner of revolt not only against the state leadership, but even challenged the authority of Rahul Gandhi. Capt. Singh called Rahul Gandhi immature and incapable leader. He publically challenged the official party line on vital issues like passage of GST bill. In order to pressurize Sonia Gandhi to appoint him as President, Capt. Singh even hobnobbed with the BJP, besides tinkering with the idea of floating his own political party.
On the contrary, I have unconditionally joined a movement against corruption to cleanse India initiated by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, without any lust for office. I also reiterate my commitment to continue to serve the people of Bholath.On his bogus threats to teach me a lesson (“soot” karunga), let me tell Capt. Singh that I am not a coward who will be intimidated by such empty threats of his, does he consider himself to be a self styled god? If at all he has to teach a lesson (“soot karunga”) someone, let it be his coterie and himself, who are behaving like feudal lords and humiliating party cadres. Let him explain why he could not teach a lesson to Badals, who very conveniently procured a manipulated acquittal in the corruption case, which he never preferred to challenge in any higher court? Why did Capt. Singh give a clean chit to Bikram Majithia in the drugs scandal? Capt. Singh should explain why he is instigating party rank and file to fight the Badals, while they cozy up to each other in family functions?Therefore, I dare Capt. Amarinder Singh to an open debate on the issue of morality and opportunism in politics. He needs to introspect within self before accusing others, as he is a master of political opportunism, a perfect arm-twister and his sole aim is lust of power and nothing else.