Amarinder Singh in Modi cabinet? Rumour mills have a field day as Captain travels to Delhi
Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh speculated as joining BJP; What’s in store for the Congress in Punjab?
A Congressman scorned is a Congressman lost. It now looks like the Congress is all set to lose Captain Amarinder Singh, of all people. The man who had been party’s own man in Punjab for decades together is suddenly left with no alternative than to jump ship. And when Captain jumps ship, the impact is sure to be huge for Rahul Gandhi and the party he believes he leads.
Speculations are rife that the Captain is all set to assume a new role in the Modi cabinet. Captain Amarinder Singh’s proposed meeting with Amit Shah and J P Nadda had in fact given rise to rumours galore. And, of late, we hear that the former Chief Minister of Punjab will soon be seen in the role of Union Agriculture Minister in Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
The political hullabaloo in Punjab had been one that the nation watched enthusiastically. With Navjot Singh Sidhu calling the shots, of course with the blessings of Rahul Gandhi and co, Amarinder Singh had to relinquish his office and make way for Sidhu’s trusted man Charanjit Singh Channi as Chief Minister.
Days after his resignation and irritatingly bad ill-treatment on the political platform, Amarinder Singh is travelling to Delhi. The trip is not going to be a leisure jaunt for sure. The veteran Congress leader is said to be all geared up to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda. The pointers are clear.
Will Captain be Union Minister in Modi Cabinet?
The television news media have already rushed to a conclusion. Their reports speak of a BJP entry for the Captain. One of them even went to the extent of asserting that he would be joining Modi’s council of ministers as Union Agriculture Minister, no less.
The rumour mills are working overtime to establish the fact that Captain Amarinder Sing would soon be the BJP’s most loved man henceforth. There are also speculations that the BJP would want him in the party. And in case, he refuses, Amarinder Singh would be provided with all help to float a new political party that would stay close to the BJP.
Earlier NDA leaders of the likes of Anil Vij and RPI’s Ramdas Athawale had lured Amarinder Singh to be part of the alliance at the Centre. This could have given Amarinder Singh much to ponder upon, with regard to his future.
Rumour mills have a field day
The unravelling of rumours indeed makes for interesting reading. But then these are all speculations at the moment. But then, in case Amarinder Singh goes for the BJP carrot, there’s nothing that would stop him. For, he is a man scorned. A Congress leader scorned in the worst manner possible.
Navjot Sidhu is currently the in-form batsman for the Congress higher-ups. Chief Minister Channi may be seen as a trusted lieutenant to Sidhu. But things could change sooner than even Rahul Gandhi would want to foresee it.
Good footwork, bad strategy mark Sidhu’s innings
Sidhu’s innings as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief is in full flow. But then, he is playing sans the willow he had wielded once upon a time around the green cricket fields. Politics is a different ball game altogether, and Sidhu paaji would need just more than footwork to excel.
After his intervention had humiliated Amarinder Singh, the Captain had predicted that the Congress party won’t win reach double digits if it decides to fight upcoming elections under Sidhu’s leadership.
He had gone to the extent of calling Sindhu “incompetent” and “anti-national” too, and he even swore that he would never accept Sidhu as his successor.
The field is now open before Amarinder Singh. Once he decides to go for it and join Amit Shah and his pack, Rahul Gandhi would just need to check another chapter in his list of bad political decisions. He would also have to let Sidhu know that playing politics is much more than padding up for a stroke making innings or even beyond the silly guffaws let out in a Kapil Sharma show.
