'Time Over': For Capt Amarinder, Congress is a Closed Chapter, Junks Reports of 'Backend Talks'

Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday junked reports of any back-end talks with the Congress, saying the “time for rapprochement is over". In a tweet by the leader’s media advisor, the Captain said he will launch his own party soon, and will hold talks for seat-sharing with the Bharatiya Janata Party once the farmers’ issue is resolved.

Amarinder had earlier resigned from the top post after months of party-infighting within the Congress in Punjab with state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Charanjit Singh Channi was elected as his replacement for the top post.

“Reports of backend talks with @INCIndia are incorrect. The time for rapprochement is over. The decision to part ways with party was taken after much thought and is final. I’m grateful to #SoniaGandhi ji for her support but will not stay in Congress now," Raveen Thukral said in a tweet.

“I will soon launch my own party and will hold talks for seat sharing with @BJP4India, breakaway Akali factions and others for #PunjabElections2022 once farmers’ issue is resolved. I want to build strong collective force in interest of Punjab & its farmers," he said.

The Captain had earlier told News18 that he can “do a lot for Punjab" despite his old age. “The Congress decided that I must go, so I have left the party…but I don’t think I will sit at home," he had said.

Singh had stepped down from the top post last month citing “humiliation" following an acrimonious power struggle with Punjab MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was appointed as the state Congress president. Singh, who was one of the Congress’ powerful regional satraps, also said he had never experienced “this sort of interference ever as a chief minister."

Speaking on the Punjab assembly elections, Singh had said talks on seat adjustments in connection with his party could be tabled provided BJP resolves the farmers’ issue. “We will talk to BJP about seat adjustments closer to elections…but for that to happen, BJP must resolve the farmer issues." “If BJP resolves the farmer’s issue, I have no problem with them," he had said.

The leader had recently made news after the Punjab government launched a probe into Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam’s links with spy agency ISI. Alam has been a long-time friend of the Captain. Captain Amarinder had hit back and in tweets posted on his behalf by his media adviser Raveen Thukral, had said Alam had been “coming for 16 years with due GoI clearances".

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