BJP leader and former chief minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday took a potshot at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his Bharat Jodo Yatra campaign and said “merely walking” would not garner public support for the grand old party. The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and now, Rajasthan.
With over 2,800 kilometers under his belt, Gandhi managed to catch the attention of his supporters as well as detractors. Controversies have also been part and parcel of the yatra, with the Congress and the BJP trading barbs on several occasions. The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.
“Kisko jod rahe hain? (Whom is he ‘uniting’), and how — I don’t understand. You can’t rally people just by walking from Kanyakumari to Srinagar. People rally around ideas, policies. You will have to explain what you will do for India, its people. Mere travel by foot won’t get people to support you,” said Singh, a former Congress leader who recently walked over to the BJP, at the NDTV conclave ‘Sadda Punjab’ in Chandigarh.
The former Congress leader said he pitched an idea similar to the yatra to Rahul Gandhi when there was uproar in the party. “He [Rahul Gandhi] will get to see India. I remember, there was uproar in our party (Congress) when I’d suggested that he should first at least see India. Well, now he’s agreed with me and he’s seeing India.”
80-year-old Singh was forced to resign as chief minister of Punjab ahead of the Punjab elections in which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won by a landslide majority.
When asked about his future in the BJP, Singh said, “It’s not just about age. Health matters. Some people turn old at 40. Many remain fit even when older. I can say that I still have 5-6 years (of political future). I recently met Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and told him: ‘I still have a lot of energy, and give me some duty in Punjab or at the national level, be it in the party or otherwise’. I have left that to the PM. A lot of people have joined (the BJP) from all parties in Punjab. I am ready for any duty anywhere.”
Commenting on the AAP’s victory in Punjab, he said that people wanted to try out something new. “I can tell you, the BJP is seeing a lot of support. Municipal elections are due soon, you will see a difference. And by the time the parliamentary elections (2024) come, you will see a lot of difference,” he claimed.
Taking a swipe at the AAP government, Singh said “does not understand” who exactly is running the state since the AAP took power.
“First I need to know who the chief minister is: Bhagwant Mann or Raghav Chadha. Officers tell me all the files go to Raghav Chadha, who approves and sends them back to Bhagwant Mann, so that he can formally put his signatures. Is this the way to do things? This must be the first such instance in India.”
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