NDA unleashing 'political vendetta' against Congress: Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today alleged that the Narendra Modi government unleashed a "political vendetta" against his party's top leadership and said he may be the next target.

"It is totally a political vendetta they have unleashed. Be it our party president Sonia (Gandhi) ji, Vice-President Rahul ji or P Chidambaram's son or Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, everyone is being targeted," the Congress' Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha told a news conference here.

Singh was making a reference to the National Herald case involving the Gandhis, searches conducted by the ED at the office of Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, in connection with the probe against firms owned by his friends, and recent CBI raids at the official residence of Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh with regard to an alleged disproportionate assets case.

Singh said Congress will fight back and "if they (the NDA government) think they can put pressure like this and they can browbeat us, they are mistaken."

"If (Finance Minister Arun) Jaitley and (PM) Modi are saying it is not vendetta, they are speaking lies," he said.

Claiming that he may be the next target, Singh said, "I am prepared. They feel if targeting anyone can improve party's prospects, go after him...Otherwise why are they pushing it? There's nothing in it," he said while making a reference to the National Herald case.

Replying to a query, Singh said, "For the first time since Independence this is happening purely out of vindictiveness and vendetta politics is being pursued."

Singh claimed, "Jaitley was asked during a TV interview why have you started vendetta politics against the Congress leaders and when the anchor was taking names of Sonia, Rahul, Chidambaram's son...Jaitley reminded that the anchor had forgotten Amarinder's name."

"He (Jaitley) has still not forgotten losing the seat (to Amarinder). So the next raid will be against me," Singh alleged.

Taking potshots at the Centre, he said, "They are narrow-minded people."

"I hope people will understand that this man is purely vindictive and this government is acting out of vindictiveness," Singh alleged.

"With vindictiveness, you cannot have a democracy running. There is the law of the land, but if you go out of way to target (people), this is wrong. Let me tell them one thing the entire Congress solidly stands behind Congress President and Vice-President," he said.