New Delhi: Capt Amarinder Singh extends best wishes to his successor, Charanjit Singh Channi, a Dalit by Caste.
Navjot Singh Sidhu calls it 'historic'.
There's more to it.
BJP leader Amit Malviya tweeted, “Congress’s CM pick Charanjit Channi faces action in a 3-year-old MeToo case. He had allegedly sent an inappropriate text to a woman IAS officer in 2018. It was covered up but the case resurfaced when Punjab Women’s Commission sent notice. Well done, Rahul.”
For sometime around 2018 – Punjab was the only of 29 Indian state where Congress had a Chief Minister. "Capt Amarinder had a free hand and as complaints came we had to act," said Congress leader Harish Rawat, who along with Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka executed the transition exercise.
But now the 79-year-old veteran has been replaced, and the party thinks it is best to bank on a new Chief Minister Channi, a Dalit.
Captain Amarinder Singh pens a stinging letter to Sonia, 'says it all', as they put it.
- He wrote among other issues -
“The people of Punjab are looking up to Congress for its mature and effective public policies, which not only reflect upon good politics, but also address the concerns of the common man that are specific to this border State".
The events those ultimately led to his ouster, Captain said, were clearly “not based on full understanding of the national imperatives of Punjab and its key concerns".
“Notwithstanding my personal anguish, I hope this will not cause any damage to the hard-earned peace and development in the state, and that the efforts I have been focusing during the last few years, would continue unabated, ensuring justice to one and all,” Captain Amarinder wrote in his letter.
The wordings certainly reflect apprehension of instability and notorious and anti-national elements getting upper hand.
Further, Punjab, as a border state, “has many geo-political and other internal security concerns, which I tried to handle effectively without any compromise.”
He said he was happy that the state remained fully peaceful, and there was complete communal harmony with no ill-will towards anyone.
One major difference being Sidhu’s decision to attend Pakistan cricket star Imran Khan’s swearing in as the Prime Minister in 2018.
India-Pak relationship has never been without the usual love-hate elements.
Sidhu, then a Minister under Capt Amarinder Singh in the Punjab province, went to Pakistan defying the Chief Minster for the grand ceremony and in public glaze embraced Pak army chief Gen Javed Bajwa.
Sidhu, however, had Rahul Gandhi's nod to make the visit.
Amarinder hit back at Sidhu for the gesture and said, “As a former Indian army officer, I condemn such act of embracing a Pakistani general who is on daily basis sending intruders and terrorists to India".
Amarinder targets Sidhu for his 'friendship' with Pak PM
Close on the heels of his resignation as Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday lashed out at Navjot Singh Sidhu's style and brand of politics which has a clear tilt towards friendship for Pakistani army generals and Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“We have all seen Sidhu hugging Imran Khan and General Bajwa, and singing praises for the Pakistan Prime Minister at the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor while our soldiers were being killed at the borders every day,” said Amarinder, who also fought the 1965 war.
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| Bond was never Good and Normal |
Cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu had attended Imran’s swearing-in in 2018 even after he (Capt Amarinder) had advised him not to do so.
Sidhu readily accepted an embrace from the Pak army chief Gen Javed Bajwa.
Speaking at the Kartarpur Corridor function on a later day, Sidhu heaped praise on Imran Khan and even addressed him as his ‘Yaar dildaar’.
“The government of Punjab means the security of India, and if Sidhu is made the face of the Congress for chief ministership, I will fight him at every step,” the outgoing Chief Minister told reporters.
Immediately after putting in his papers, Captain told journalists outside Raj Bhawan that he felt "humiliated" and hence decided to quit as the Chief Minister.
Dwelling at Sidhu's style of functioning, the outgoing Chief Minister said: "How can a man who could not handle a ministry handle the state?”
As a Local Government minister, Sidhu failed to clear files for seven months, he claimed.
Amarinder, who came into politics in 1980 more as a 'friend' of the then Congress general secretaryRajiv Gandhi, ruled out leaving politics and said as an Army man, he has a lot of will.“I am not hanging my boots,” he asserted.
Captain Amarinder is credited for not only bringing back Congress to power in 2017 in Punjab, he gave hope among hundreds of Congressmen and women that the grand old party could be revived.
Singh - son of Late Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of Patiala, after commissioning in the army was posted in 2nd Battalion Sikh Regiment and was part of the 1965 war against Pakistan.
He also flirted with the Akali politics in 1985 and got elected to the Punjab assembly on an Akali Dal (Longowal) ticket.
There was a time when he was the only Chief Minister of Congress party and the other one being UT chief minister V Narainswamy in Puducherry.
In retrospect, Captain's politics remained unmoved by the strong pro-BJP wave in 2014 and 2019.
In 2014 when Akalis were still in power in the state, Capt Amarinder contested against BJP's Arun Jaitley and won the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat.
In 2019 - when he was already in the saddle as the Chief Minister -the Congress could manage to win as many as eight seats out of 13 in Punjab.
The total Congress tally in Lok Sabha in 2019 stood at a modest 52 - just an increase of eight from the2014 figures.
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Capt Amarinder quits, says he felt 'humiliated'
New Delhi:
Loyalty can no longer charm his ways and thus 79-year-old Punjab ChiefMinister, Capt Amarinder Singh, was shown the doors.
Bringing an end to all speculation and months of battle of nerves betweenhim and Novjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab Chief Minister and a Congress veteran Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday tendered his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
"I felt humiliated ...I spoke to the Congress president (Sonia Gandhi) this morning and said I will be resigning today... This is the third time in recent months a meeting of MLAshas been called. It speaks volume and that is why I decided to quit," Singh told reporters outside Raj Bhawan.
His son Raninder Singh also tweeted in the afternoon saying, ‘I am proud to accompany my father to Raj Bhawan when he submits his resignation as Chief Minister of Punjab".
AICC general secretary Harish Rawat had announced that Congress legislators would meet in theevening to discuss various issues including the CLP leadership.
The Captain rushed to Raj Bhawan after 1600 hours and later quit around 1630 hours.
Personally, of course he enjoys good rapport with Akali Dal leaders as well, specially Sukhbir Singh Badal notwithstanding political differences.
Lately, Capt Amarinder had met top BJP leaders including PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also.
The 79-year-old former army officer said though he is still in Congress, the future course ofaction will be decided after consultation with his supporters and workers.
"I have been in politics for the last 52 years and they are with me. So I will take any decision only after consulting them," he said adding, "...Future course of action, I have an option".
Suspended Congress leader Sanjay Jha says the Congress high command has 'mishandled' the political challenge in Punjab thrown at the party's door steps due to differences between the outgoing Chief Minister Capt Amarinder and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Certainly Punjab has been a strong base for the Congress where it has enjoyed powerfor many years under different Chief Ministers.Its main rival in the state has been Akali Dal and its patriarch Parkash Singh Badal.
The BJP has always played second fiddle to the Akali Dal but these two parties parted ways last year over the issue of three contentious farm laws.
The AAP has also made forays in the state picking up a few parliamentary seats, butit also could not do much in assembly polls.
In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, out of 13 parliamentary constituencies, Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party won 4 seats each, Congress won 3, and 2 constituencies elected BJP MPs.The AAP had won from 34 of the total 117 assembly segments in 2017 assembly polls.
In the 2019 general elections, Congress had won 8, Akali Dal 2, BJP 2 and only one seat went to theAam Aadmi Party.
Notably, in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Captain Amarinder had humbled senior BJP leader Arun Jaitleyby a huge margin from Amritsar.
Elections are due in Punjab along with four other states by Feb-March 2022.The Congress leadership specially Rahul Gandhi has decided to bank on Sidhu, a turncoat from the BJP.
In the poll-bound state. Sidhu has been in direct and fierce competition with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for quite some time now.
Recently, Sidhu had cautioned high command and general secretary Rawat saying, “Mine is a politics of hope and faith. If I am able to meet the expectations of people, I will ensure the Congress retains power in Punjab for the next 20 years. But if you do not let me make decisions, I will give a befitting reply (Eet naal Eet)".
"There is no point in being a dummy president.” Sidhu has said.
Captain Amarinder had enjoyed good working rapport with Sonia Gandhi and also her late husband,former PM Rajiv Gandhi.The outgoing Chief Minister has always referred to Sonia as 'Mrs Gandhi'.
In 2017, Capt had developed differences with party colleague Partap Singh Bajwa.
Amarinder was also accused of not being capable as the party had lost two electoral battles in a row in 2007 and 2012, under Captain's stewardship.
Lately while the Congress has flayed the central government's vaccination programmes against Covid19, Punjab Chief Capt Amarinder has hailed the works done by the central government.
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Stalled Naga Peace talks 'back on track', crucial meetings on Sept 20: Nagaland to have 'Opposition-less' Govt
New Delhi: Giving a push to the Naga Peace talks and putting it on fast track, new 'informal Interlocutor' A K Mishra will meet two major militant groups umbrella organisation NNPGs and NSCN (IM) at Dimapur on Monday, September 20.
Informed sources said the meetings will be separate and will be held at Chumukedema Police Head Quarter complex.
"Ice has been broken and things are moving forward," a source said.
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| CM Rio played his cards well |
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi, who took over as new Nagaland Governor on Friday, has said that "....soon we will have a comprehensive and inclusive solution to the Naga political issue ensuring utmost honour and dignity to the Naga people".
The NNPGs - Naga National Political Groups headed by convener N Kitovi Zhimomi is an umbrella organisation of seven groups operating within Nagaland.
The NSCN (IM) first entered into peace parleys in August 1997 during the stint of I K Gujral as the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, all 60 legislators have decided to come together under a new 'opposition-less' government.
According to a senior government functionary at Kohima, the new alliance will be called the 'United Democratic Alliance'.
In a meeting attended among others by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (NNDP), Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton (BJP) and NPF leader and former CM T R Zeliang, it has been "unanimously resolved" that the new alliance will be called the 'United Democratic Alliance'.
The peace talks between NSCN(IM) and the government were literally stalled for sometime as the militant group had issues with the former Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, who was also peace Interlocutor since 2014.
Ravi has now moved to Tamil Nadu as the new Governor in the southern state.
A K Mishra is a retired intelligence official and has been aware of the developments related to Naga peace talks.
On August 3, 2015, the NSCN (IM) signed a Framework Agreement with Interlocutor Ravi in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
The NNPGs also inked a pact 'Preamble Agreement' or 'Agreed Position' on November 17, 2017.
There is some latent rivalry between NSCN(IM) and NNPG, the umbrella group of various Naga groups.
The NSCN(IM) led by Thuingaleng Muivah has organisational strength in Naga dominated areas of Manipur.
All these have made the peace process complex though the parleys were at the final stage.
The NSCN (IM) demand of a separate Flag and a Constitution have been rejected by the government.
The NNPG – a conglomeration of seven militant groups – however says they are not insisting on any such demands and want an early solution to the problem and bring an end to violence.
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| NNPG Convener: Kitovi Zhimomi |
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