Athawale invites Amarinder Singh to join BJP-led NDA

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday extended an invitation to Captain Amarinder Singh, who resigned as Punjab Chief Minister, to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and said he should quit Congress which “humiliated” him.

Speaking to ANI, Athawale said that Singh can be of good use to bring the NDA to power in Punjab after the Assembly polls next year. “I would like to ask Captain Amarinder Singh what is the use of staying in a party which has humiliated you. I request him to leave the Congress party and join the NDA led by Narendra Modi,” he said.

“Everyone in the NDA is equally respected. Amarinder Singh can be of good use to bring the NDA to power in Punjab (Assembly Polls 2022),” Athawale added.Further, Athawle said, “When Sidhu went to Pakistan, it was a serious matter that Imran Khan hugged Bajwa; Amarinder Singh is right, Sidhu is a deceiver.”

Amarinder Singh resigned as Chief Minister and submitted his resignation to Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday. The resignation came ahead of the meeting of the Congress legislature party convened by the party leadership. Singh served as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee from 2010 to 2013.

Athawle also dismissed all claims by Rahul Gandhi on the nation’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage and said, “The central government is doing the work of providing as much vaccine as there is. 80 crore people have taken the vaccine so far. What is Rahul Gandhi talking about? Gandhi’s tip is not right; we are at the forefront of the world in vaccination.”