Punjab Former CM Amarinder Singh Targets Harish Choudhary, Accuses Him Of Turning CM Channi Into 'Rubber Stamp'

The former chief minister further stated that he owes no answer to a lawmaker who was "fired" as a minister in Rajasthan.

Punjab Former CM Amarinder Singh Targets Harish Choudhary. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Punjab Former chief minister Amarinder Singh attacked Congress leader Harish Choudhary on Friday, accusing him of turning the current CM into a "rubber stamp" and dismissing accusations that he was in collusion with the BJP and the Prime Minister while he was in office.

The former chief minister further stated that he owes no answer to a lawmaker who was "fired" as a minister in Rajasthan.

Choudhary recently resigned as a minister in Rajasthan and was recently named as the All-India Congress Committee's (AICC) in-charge of Punjab affairs.

Amrinder Singh Targets Harish Choudhary:

According to Amarinder, this was the first time a party leader has made the state his permanent residence.

I've worked with 14 party in-charges, including Pranab Mukherjee, Mohsina Kidwai, and Janaradhan Dwivedi, to mention a few," he said, "and they would seldom meddle, let aside travelling or setting down in Punjab, he recalled.

"A party in-charge is not supposed to settle down in the state he is assigned but to facilitate interaction and feedback to the high command," the former CM said.

Harish Choudhary, Singh alleged, is "enjoying" chief ministerial power and perks in Punjab, thus turning Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi into a "rubber stamp" by dictating conditions to him.

Former CM questioned about Choudhary's ministerial home in Chandigarh and access to the whole Punjab Bhawan, from which he "commands and dictates instructions" to the Chief Minister, other ministers, and staff.

Chief Minister Is Expected To Meet PM, HM:

Following a fierce power struggle with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amarinder Singh left the Congress and filed his resignation as state chief minister.

For the upcoming Assembly elections, the former CM launched his own political party, aiming to strike a seat deal with the BJP.

Despite the fact that he owed no answer to "an out of job legislator who has been ousted as a minister in Rajasthan," Amarinder Singh stated he wished to clear the air.

"Had I had any understanding with the prime minister or the BJP when I was the chief minister, I would not have supported the farmers' agitation and demanded repealing of the agriculture laws and passed a law in the Vidhan Sabha against these," Singh was quoted by PTI in its report.

Amarinder Singh stated that as Punjab's chief minister and home minister, he and his ministers were expected to meet with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, as well as their central equivalents.

While taunting Choudhary, Former Punjab CM said, "Even your new CM (Charanjit Singh Channi) has met the PM and the HM (Home Minister Amit Shah) and from your senseless logic then he should also be having an understanding with the BJP and waiting to be sacked."

(With inputs from PTI)