Cong needs one-man show to win Punjab polls, says Capt Amarinder

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh’s recent statements against his own party have fuelled speculations and suspense about his next move.

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Captain Amarinder Singh’s recent statements against his own party have fuelled speculations and suspense about his next move.

Is it mere posturing against the party high command for not heeding to his demand for change of guard in Punjab or a forerunner to his breaking away from the Congress? In an interview to HT on Tuesday, the former chief minister did some straight talk saying it has to be a one-man show if the Congress has to win the 2017 polls.

Revealing that party president Sonia Gandhi has offered him the chairmanship of the campaign committee, he said, “The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief leads the party to the polls. What is this new thing about appointing me the campaign committee head? Our block and district units are in a shambles in Punjab. The party needs an overhaul. The Congress cannot win under these circumstances. I have no intention of fighting another election that we are losing,” he said.

On whether he was pitching for party’s presidency, he said the Congress needs a good PCC president. “I have been one for 10 years and have the experience. But it is up to the party president to decide. They can appoint the state chief after taking views from senior leaders and then come to their own conclusion. But we cannot be pushed out of the decisionmaking. I know more about Punjab than those in Delhi,” he added.