‘PM’S nationalism card won’t work’

Two years after he led the Congress to a landslide victory in the 2017 Punjab assembly poll on his 75th birthday ( March 11), Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh faces a tough electoral test in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Always the straight talker, he is dismissive of the BJP’S poll narrative pegged to national security and nationalism after the Balakot strikes “This card will not work.” Excerpts

After the Pulwama attack and Balakot strikes, the pre-poll narrative is being dominated by national security and nationalism. Will this affect Congress’s poll prospects in Punjab?

I don’t see it happening here or elsewhere. It was the job of Air Force. When 40 soldiers were killed in Pulwama, it was government’s duty to act. I have read that the strikes have been partially successful. Till we get proof, people are going to doubt it. The BJP is trying to sell it because there is nothing else to sell but they should not play with national security.

But it seems to have overshadowed the Congress campaign on rural distress, jobs and even Rafale.

There are still two months to go (for the elections). A realisation will come that this (airstrikes) would have been done by any government in power... Unemployment and farm distress are going to affect the people more.

How do you look at poll prospects of the Congress given that the grand alliance is still to take shape?

I think a time has come and parties will realise it is in the interest of the country that we get together to defeat the BJP and protect the secular structure (of the country). I don’t think India can afford it.

The Congress didn’t do well in the 2014 polls in Punjab. How confident are you this time?

It was a totally different scenario. It was the AAP that became a symbol of future (in 2014). They got lot of support... But people have begun to realise that the Congress is delivering on development... We knocked down 22 terror modules that were being pushed by Pakistan.

How confident are you about the Kartarpur corridor coming up this year?

I am sure it will come up. But they (Pakistan) want to get the Sikhs’ sympathy towards the 2020 Referendum (demanding a separate Sikh state). That’s why he (Bajwa) wants the Kartarpur corridor to be made. It is a different agenda for them.

Do you still believe it is an ISI project?

100%. ISI does all these things. Who ran the Tarafalgar Square thing (on the referendum)? It was an ISI fellow. All these foreign operations are Isi-controlled.

A year ago, you handed over a list of 10 active handlers of Khalistani terrorists to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Has it helped?

Since our diplomatic standoff with (Canadian defence minister Harjit) Sajjan earlier and later Trudeau, I must admit I got support from the Government of India…both countries have been working together on it.

Navjot Singh Sidhu and you took contradictory stands on the IAF strikes. Hasn’t that sent confusing signals to party supporters?

I think friendship makes Navjot forget other realities. He says talk peace but you talk peace when the time is right, not anytime...

There is a feeling that Sidhu is in a hurry to become CM. What will you tell him?

Come and take it over today.