Amarinder was a ‘compromised CM’, says Warring

Calling Amarinder a “compromised CM”, Warring expressed regret that the state government could not fulfil in its first four-and-a-half years several poll promises made to the people before the 2017 assembly elections

Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday alleged that former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had a secret understanding with the Akalis and made compromises with them.

Punjab transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday alleged that former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was a ‘compromised CM’, citing his “secret understanding” with the Akalis.

Calling Amarinder a “compromised chief minister”, Warring expressed regret that the state government could not fulfil in its first four-and-a-half years several poll promises made to the people before the 2017 assembly elections. “He (Amarinder) made compromises with those under whose regime several mafias took birth. The system was totally paralysed,” he claimed at a press conference, blaming the Badal family for the transport mafia.

The transport minister said the former chief minister’s plan to set up his separate party was all a part of that compromise. On Amarinder’s charge that he was humiliated by the Congress high command, Warring said the people of the state wanted him to go. Amarinder had resigned as the CM last month after a bitter tussle with Navjot Sidhu. On Tuesday, the former CM said that he would float a new outfit soon and hoped to tie up with the BJP for the upcoming Punjab polls.

Warring, who held the press conference to highlight achievements of his three weeks as the transport minister, said there was 17.24% increase in collections of the department from October 1 to 15. The collection of the government-owned buses was up from ₹46.28 crore between September 15 and 30 to ₹54.26 crore between October 1 and October 15, he added.

He said the department collected ₹3.29 crore as part of pending government tax from the defaulting bus operators. A total of 258 buses have been impounded or challaned for non-payment of taxes, illegal permits, documents, etc. The minister said that an order for purchase of 842 new buses had been given and these would be on the road within 45 days.