Rahul names Captain as CM face, slams Kejriwal, Badals

Attacking the Badals, who head the ruling SAD, the Congress leader claimed “they have grabbed every business in Punjab”. In the same breath, he targeted the Prime Minister for backing the Akalis.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims he is the protector of religion and fights corruption. In Hinduism, truth is most important. But he will come to Punjab and stand by Sukhbir Badal to claim he fights corruption. How can you fight corruption with Akalis? It is not possible.”

Navjot Singh Sidhu, who recently quit the BJP and joined Congress, was also present on the stage at the rally organised by Congress Majitha candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lali Majithia who is up against Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the ruling SAD candidate.

Theaap,contestingthepunjabassembly pollsforthefirsttime,hadbeenmockingthe Congress for not announcing a CM candidate.athisrallies,aapchiefarvindkejriwal had repeatedly claimed that Sidhu was the unofficial CM candidate of the Congress because Rahul did not like Amarinder.

So, Rahul hit out at Kejriwal and his party: “AAP will say in Delhi that Punjab’s water is for Delhi. In Haryana, they will say it is for Haryana, and in Punjab, they will say it is for Punjab. Their leader wants to become the Chief Minister of both Delhi and Punjab. AAP pushed 40,000 Delhi workers and leaders into Punjab to tell people how Punjab should be run. Punjab does not need to be controlled via remote. Punjab will be run by Punjab and its people. Punjab’s Chief Minister is going to be from Punjab. I want to tell you that the Punjab CM is sitting here.”

“It won’t be the one-man government you have seen in Delhi. Captain Amarinder Singh will take every decision after discussing it with Congress workers and people of Punjab,” Rahul said.

Congress sources said the announcement by Rahul was also aimed at strengthening the claim of Amarinder on the Lambi seat where he is taking on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. “Now we will tell voters of Lambi that you are going to be represented by the CM again,” a Congress leader said.

Attacking the Akalis again at his rallies in Talwandi Sabo and Bathinda, Rahul repeatedly invoked the first guru of the Sikhs. “Guru Nanak Sahib said ‘sab tera’ but the Badal philosophy is ‘sab mera’. Congress will restore the spirit of ‘tera hai’ (it’s yours) and not ‘mera hai’ (it’s mine) which Badals established over the last 10 years. This is the reason they are seeking a share in every business of Punjab... In Punjab, there is Badal (cloud) all over and this is the reason why there is no sunshine. Brightness has faded away,” he said.