Amarinder Singh compares Punjab AAP leaders with 'clowns'

NEW DELHI: Comparing leaders of Aaam Aadmi Party in Punjab with " clowns or comedians", senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh today accused them of showing "false dreams" as the former seemed making a serious bid for power in BJP-SAD ruled Punjab in 2017 Assembly polls.

"Governance is too serious a duty to be left out for clowns or comedians to perform. #AAP leaders are showing false dreams in #Punjab," Singh said on Twitter.

The former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress veteran, who had been sulking for some time also said on Twitter a few days ago that the ground condition of Congress in Punjab doesn't need any alliance.

"We can wrest power from the anti-people Akali-BJP nexus on our own," he had claimed.

Hoping to replicate its Delhi Assembly election victory in Punjab, AAP had last month launched 'Punjab Jodo', a long-term campaign to prepare the party for 2017 Assembly polls in the state.

The campaign aims to increase party membership, strengthen organisational structure in the state.

It also launched a memmbership drive in Punjab last month and plans to enrol 25 lakh members by September end.

The emergence of AAP in Punjab is a worry for Congress and there is a realisation that continued squabbling in the party may further put into jeopardy its efforts to wrest power in the state after a decade.

Congress had secured only three seats in the last Lok Sabha polls, while Akalis clinched four and BJP two.

The Congress high-command is likely to replace the party's faction-riven Punjab unit soon with a "consensus" PCC to put up a united face ahead of next year's assembly elections.

According to sources, the party is working on a formula where all sections are accommodated to the satisfaction of prominent leaders in the state in a bid to end factionalism after defeat in two successive Assembly polls at the hands of Akali Dal-BJP combine.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi have held several rounds of discussions with state leaders to resolve the leadership row and restructure the Punjab unit.

As part of the restructuring exercise, incumbent state party chief Pratap Singh Bajwa, whose ouster has been strongly demanded by Amarinder Singh, is set to be replaced.

While senior Congress leader Ambika Soni is leading the race for the PCC chief's post, Amarinder himself is likely to be appointed the party's campaign committee chief for the next Assembly polls.