Captain on Kejri’s sorry: ‘It is an antic; he stands isolated’

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday dismissed as “an antic” his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal’s apology to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who has since withdrawn a defamation case against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener for making allegations related to illicit drug trade.

Amarinder said the apology not only reflected Kejriwal’s political inexperience but also appeared to be a desperate attempt to reduce the burden of defamation cases against him before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections; “but the fact was that things had changed for the worse for him”.

In conversation with journalist Vir Sanghvi at TV18’s Rising India Summit in Delhi, Amarinder said that Kejriwal is always “jumping here and there”. “I don’t know why he does that but this is no way for a chief minister to behave, irrespective of his lack of experience,” he said.

“No government can function in isolation but Kejriwal has completely isolated himself,” said the Congress leader, adding that the AAP has completely lost ground in all states.

On AAP’s future in Punjab, where it is the main opposition party, he said its legislators are disappointed and are looking for alternatives to safeguard their future.

Further, about the national political scene, Amarinder expressed optimism that the Congress will form the next government at the Centre, either on its own or in a coalition with likeminded parties.

Asked about the mood in the Congress following the Tripura results and the subsequent bypoll results in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he said all political parties had their ups and downs. The Congress might be down at the moment but that does not mean it will always remain down, he said.

“The TDP’s decision to disassociate from the NDA a year before the Lok Sabha elections shows disenchantment in the ruling coalition, and the prevailing mood of the nation, which is looking at a UPA sort of alliance as an alternative,” he added.

On Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the prospective PM, Amarinder said he saw this to be an absolute possibility and that Rahul will make a good PM.

Kejriwal is always jumping here and there. I don’t know why he does that but this is no way for a chief minister to behave, irrespective of his lack of experience. CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, CM