Punjab former CM Capt Amarinder Singh takes orders from new boss Ashwani Sharma

Tribune News Service

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, September 26

Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who remained an unchallenged leader in the Punjab Congress for over two decades, today found himself taking instructions from state BJP president Ashwani Sharma, who is much junior to him in politics.

It was his first visit to the state BJP headquarters to attend two meetings of the 24-member core committee and office-bearers of the party. Both meetings were presided over by Ashwani.

Addressing a press conference, Capt Amarinder said it was not time for him to hang up his boots and he would remain active in the state politics. The former CM said he would do whatever BJP national president JP Nadda or state president Ashwani Sharma asked him to do.

Capt Amarinder, known for making his way by cutting to size several tall leaders, was seen taking instructions from Sharma.

Last week, Capt Amarinder got a low-key welcome when he joined the BJP in Delhi. Despite being present in the BJP office, neither Home Minister Amit Shah nor party president JP Nadda attended his joining ceremony. Unlike Sunil Jakhar, who was formally welcomed into the BJP by Nadda in May, only two Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Kiren Rijiju were present at the ceremony.

Capt Amarinder said he still could do a lot for Punjab. He said before going to the UK for a surgery, he had informed the PM and the Home Minister that he would join the BJP after his return.

Attacking AAP, he said it was shameful that despite having 92 MLAs, the party wanted to go for a confidence motion within six months of forming the government. “Now, the government is being run by people who don’t have any idea how the state functions,” he said.

In a veiled attack on the CM over the alleged deplaning incident in Germany, he said Bhagwant Mann had to run to Delhi for every small instruction from AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.

Capt Amarinder further said it was not the time for him to hang up his boots and he would remain active in the state politics.

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