Anil Vij sees Pakistan-Congress nexus in Punjab churn; claims 'Amarinder was hurdle'

On Thursday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij accused the Congress party of hatching a "conspiracy" to bring Pakistan and Punjab closer in the future. As a part of this plan, the BJP leader claimed that Congress wanted Navjot Singh Sidhu and his associates to gain power in the state. Appointed as the Punjab Congress president in July, the former swashbuckling cricketer has publicly described Pakistan PM Imran Khan as his "friend". While attending the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan in Islamabad on August 18, 2018, Sidhu stoked a controversy by hugging Pakistani Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.

After former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh dubbed Sidhu "anti-national" over his ties with Khan and Bajwa, BJP sought an explanation from the Congress leadership. Vij claimed, "Nationalist Captain Amarinder Singh was hurdle in their way that is why he was politically slain. All nationalistic forces in Punjab should join hands to foil ill-designs of Congress". 

Change of guard in Punjab

Amid the infighting between Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, the situation escalated after Congress summoned a Legislative Party meeting at 5 pm on September 18 without keeping the Punjab CM in the loop. Announcing the decision on Twitter, Rawat asserted that the party had received a representation from a large number of MLAs demanding a meeting. Amid growing speculation that Singh will be ousted, the latter tendered his resignation to Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit at about 4.30 pm on the same day owing to "humiliation". 

Speaking exclusively to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, he replied in the affirmative when asked whether Sidhu is getting support from Pakistan. Amarinder Singh remarked, "I do believe so, I've said it from day 1 that he went. He's a friend of Imran Khan, I said to not go, I was CM, he didn't listen. Then, he hugged Bajwa. Then he takes credit for Kartarpur. I asked why he hugged Bajwa when daily my Jawans were being killed at the border. He doesn't care, he's only interested in himself and his contacts in Pakistan."

Though rumour mills were abuzz that Randhawa emerged as the choice of the MLAs, Charanjit Singh Channi pipped him to the top post. A three-time MLA from Chamkaur Sahib, he was a part of the Amarinder Singh-led Cabinet handling Technical Education & Industrial Training, Employment Generation and Tourism and Cultural Affairs. However, AICC Punjab in-charge Rawat declared that Congress will fight the next Assembly election under Sidhu's leadership indicating that Channi might not be retained as the CM if the party is re-elected.