Amarinder should have stood with Cong to save democracy: Harish Rawat

Former chief minister of Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh arrives at Kapurthala house in New Delhi, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat on Friday said Amarinder Singh's "proximity" with BJP leaders like Amit Shah puts a question mark on his secular credentials and warned the Centre not to attempt toppling a majority government in the state.

Alleging that the former Punjab chief minister was playing into the hands of people with whom he had no ideological ties, Rawat said Singh should have stood with the Congress leadership to save democracy.

Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat addresses a press conference at the Congress Headquarters in Dehradun, on Friday. Pic/PTI

"His proximity with (Union home minister) Amit Shah and some other BJP leaders puts his secular credentials in doubt," he said at a press conference. Rebutting allegations that the party had humiliated Singh, Rawat said it always gave him respect.

"Amarinder Singh was Punjab Congress president thrice and chief minister twice. Is it humiliation? He should compare himself with senior party leaders who had got much less than him in terms of opportunities," the former Uttarakhand chief minister said.

"At a time when the country faces the challenge of saving democracy, Amarinder Singh should have stood with (Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi and strengthened her fight to save democratic values instead of playing into the hands of people who are using his so-called humiliation for political reasons," Rawat said. Rawat also warned the BJP-led Centre not to attempt to topple a majority government in Punjab.

Shah-Nadda meet triggers speculation

After raising the political temperature from Delhi to Punjab, Amarinder Singh has returned to his home state. However, a meeting of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda has triggered fresh speculations. On Thursday night, Shah reached Nadda's residence and meeting a between them lasted for about an hour. The Shah-Nadda meeting came after a series of events. Earlier, on Wednesday, Amarinder had met Shah.

Will Imran Masood leave Congress?

The Congress in Uttar Pradesh is apparently set to suffer another jolt as speculation is rife about Imran Masood leaving the party. The talk about Imran Masood, who is also an All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary, leaving the party to join the Samajwadi Party has gained credibility after he said that it is the SP alone that can stop the BJP from returning to power.

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