AAP calls Cong 'Indian National Circus' amid Punjab crisis; 'Can't give future to India'

As infighting in the Punjab unit continues, the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday said that the Indian National Congress had now become the 'Indian National Circus'. Speaking to media, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha accused the ruling party in Punjab of humiliating the Punjabis and added that the state has now chosen to change the 'ship', so changing the 'captain of the ship' won't help. 

"There is no future of Congress and it cannot give any future to India. We all should say 'bye-bye' to Congress now," Raghav Chada further added. The statement of Chada comes at the time the AAP is striving hard to take over Congress in the upcoming 2022 assembly elections in Punjab. The party has claimed that someone, who is the 'pride of Punjab', will be chosen as the CM face for the assembly elections. 

Congress Infighting continues

Citing humiliation, the former Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh had informed Congress President Sonia Gandhi that he cannot run a government when not given freedom. Terming Sidhu as an incompetent, anti-national, and pro-Pakistan man, Captain Amarinder Singh had said that he would oppose if Sidhu was picked as the next CM. However, the grand-old party picked 58-year-old Charanjit Singh Channi, who was sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab, though the possibility of Sidhu being the CM face for the upcoming elections was still open then. 

Days thereafter, Navjot Singh Sidhu resigned from the presidentship of Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) citing that "the collapse of a man's character stems from the compromise corner". After Sidhu's resignation, many of his loyalists like Razia Sultana also tendered their resignation. It is not clear what specifically Sidhu has fallen out with the Congress High Command over.

Sources have informed Republic that the Congress high command has decided not to indulge any further in talks with Sidhu. Talking with Channi, the high command hopes to come to a plausible solution, sources said. 

Meanwhile, seeing the deteriorating state of affairs in Congress, senior party leader Kapil Sibal held a press briefing on behalf of the G23 leaders, who wrote to the High Command a year back seeking radical changes. "I am here today with a heavy heart. In past, we were proud of Congress leadership but can't look at the situation my party is in today. It breaks my heart. It is saddening," Kabil Sibal said.  

"Today Congressmen are leaving Congress. Sushmita Deb, Former Goa CM, Jitin Prasad, Scindhia, etc have left Congress," he added, with a question, "Why are leaders leaving Congress? We have to introspect, maybe Congress is also at fault."