In pain after losing two successive battles for Punjab, former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, maharaja of the erstwhile Patiala state, has started introspection by asking people where he went wrong in the 2007 and 2012.
He has asked for replies on Facebook, where for the past few months, he has been uploading the pictures of family and his working on computer and plucking fruits and vegetables from his kitchen garden etc. This is the first time his pain has come out.
Since the last election defeat, he is removed from the post of state Congress president, and now struggling to make a comeback, even though his protégés claim he is now in a more powerful position as member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
On Facebook, the former CM has posted his achievements. "In 2002, you gave the Congress a mandate to govern Punjab and, as your CM for five years, I did all I could to protect the interests of the state, such as nullifying the water agreement (with Haryana) and improving the economy by formulating a new industrial policy that created more than 2-lakh jobs," reads the post, adding: "Why did you not give us the mandate in 2007 and 2012? Where did we go wrong?"
{{/usCountry}}On Facebook, the former CM has posted his achievements. "In 2002, you gave the Congress a mandate to govern Punjab and, as your CM for five years, I did all I could to protect the interests of the state, such as nullifying the water agreement (with Haryana) and improving the economy by formulating a new industrial policy that created more than 2-lakh jobs," reads the post, adding: "Why did you not give us the mandate in 2007 and 2012? Where did we go wrong?"
{{/usCountry}}The replies attribute the defeats to his "arrogance" and "aloofness" from public, coterie, infighting, party colleagues Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Shamsher Dullo, and wrong ticket distribution. More than 1,600 people have liked his question. The comments vary from "tie-up with the PPP (People's Party of Punjab) would have been beneficial" to "(the Shiromani) Akali Dal listens to common man".
"Lamho ney khata ki hai, saddiyon ney saza payi hai (a moment's mistake, and centuries have paid for it)" commented one user. "Now support Partap Singh Bajwa for strengthening the Congress," is another advice.
In spite of several "comments", Captain Amarinder Singh could not be contacted. He was in Patiala to celebrate 94th birth anniversary of his mother, Rajmata Mohinder Kaur.