Sachin Pilot keeps door open on Amarinder Singh’s Congress return
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sachin Pilot has said “anything is possible in politics” when asked about speculation that former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh could return to the Congress, while stressing that he has not spoken to Singh about his political plans.In an exclusive interview with news agency PTI, Pilot, the Congress’ in-charge of Punjab, described Singh as someone who had served the state “well” and was “a man of a very tall stature”.However, he said he had not discussed with the former chief minister the possibility of joining or leaving any political party.“As far as Captain sahab is concerned, I've known him personally since I was very young. And I've worked closely with him.
Personally, I've not had any interaction with him on this particular issue. But like they say, politics mein 'kuch bhi ho sakta hai' (Anything is possible in politics)?” Pilot said.
“I mean, who knows? I think he's actually, just like me, part of the armed forces. He's served Punjab well. And he's a man of a very tall stature, certainly. How the BJP has taken to him, I'm not sure,” he added.Pilot said he had seen Singh's recent critical remarks about the BJP but had not spoken to him personally about his future plans.
Asked whether Singh might expect a prominent position if he returned to the Congress, Pilot said he could not comment on what the former chief minister was thinking.“I don't know what he's (Captain) thinking. I've not spoken to him or had any communication on that front. Time will tell what happens. I can't say anything right now,” Pilot said.
Amarinder Singh’s discontent with BJP
The speculation about Singh's possible return to the Congress has gathered attention amid his recent expressions of dissatisfaction with the BJP.
Last month, Singh said the party had not consulted him on Punjab. He maintained that it was his duty to convey his views on the state to the BJP and that doing so did not mean he was quitting the party.Singh also said he was going through “difficult times” but did not elaborate.Speculation about his political future had begun in August, when Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi
, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, named Singh as his favourite politician from the BJP during an ‘Ask me’ session on Instagram.Responding to Rahul's remarks, Singh said his personal relationship with the Gandhi family would always remain but his political commitment was to the BJP.
Singh’s journey from Congress to BJP
Singh was among the Congress’ prominent regional leaders in Punjab and led the party to a landslide victory in the 117-member state Assembly in 2017, becoming chief minister for a second time.He served as chief minister from 2002 to 2007 and again from 2017 to 2021.
He resigned from the post and left the Congress in 2021 following infighting within the party's Punjab unit.Singh subsequently formed the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), which failed to win any seats in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. The party was later merged with the BJP.His wife and former MP Preneet Kaur, son Raninder Singh and daughter Jai Inder Kaur are also with the BJP.Singh has served as a Punjab MLA, a Lok Sabha MP and president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee on three occasions.
Pilot to undertake five-day Punjab
Separately, Pilot is scheduled to undertake a five-day yatra across Punjab from October 16 to 20 to meet families who have lost relatives to gangster violence and alleged failures in law and order.The Congress said the yatra would cover Moga, Bathinda, Mansa, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Amritsar.
During the visits, Pilot will meet bereaved families, offer condolences and hear their accounts of the crimes and the responses they have received from the police and the state government, the party said.The Congress said several families had waited months, and in some cases years, for arrests, chargesheets or a fair trial in cases involving killings claimed by or linked to organised gangs.The party said the yatra aimed to bring the families' demands for justice to the public and the state government and, where necessary, to the courts.It also said Pilot would highlight what it described as a deterioration in law and order under the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab.