Amarinder wants to contest against Punjab CM; Sukhbir laughs off

 To ensure “total defeat” of the Akali Dal, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh has asked his party high command permission to directly take on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Lambi constituency.

“I want to fight the CM on his home turf of Lambi as I want to defeat all the top Akali leaders responsible for destroying the state through their drugs, mafia and goonda raj, and guilty of ruining its trade, industry and agriculture,” Amarinder said on Saturday.

If the Congress high command permits, Amarinder said he would contest from both Lambi and his home constituency of Patiala.

Scoffing at the idea, Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal  leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said the Captain should quickly take permission from his party leadership before the nomination process comes to an end.

“It is a pathetic and last ditch attempt by a failed ‘raja’ to stem the rot in his sinking ship,” Badal said.

Sukhbir said Amarinder has been resorting to cheap theatrics in recent months, including the promise of farm loan waiver which is not reflected in his party’s poll manifesto.
“He hit upon this idea to project himself as the chief ministerial candidate, especially since he was finding the going tough in his home seat of Patiala against Gen J J Singh,” he said.