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Amarinder on ascendancy as Badals,
Bhattal catch headache
WSN Bureau
PATIALA:
Notwithstanding the almost joint onslaught of Akali Dal, the ruling
Akali-BJP government and the section of the Punjab Congress that has
hitched its wagon to Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Punjab CM
Amarinder Singh seems to be an ascendant star of the Congress,
emerging as a major headache for Bhattal as well as the ruling
Badals.
Keeping pace
with the Punjab Government’s missionary zeal to keep entangled
Amarinder Singh in one or the other case, most followed by his
summoning before the Vigilance Bureau and then copious leaks to
select journalists, is Amarinder’s display of a peculiar capacity to
marshal support from vast sections of the Congress.
On July 6, when
Badal’s chosen hatchet man Sumedh Singh Saini had directed
appearance of Amarinder Singh before the sleuths of the Vigilance
Bureau, Amarinder Singh turned the occasion into an opportunity for
a show of strength.
He reached
Patiala Circuit House to join the Vigilance Bureau investigations in
a case of disproportionate assets case registered against him about
three weeks ago, but arrived in a large cavalcade accompanied by his
wife, Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, brother Malwinder Singh, MLAs Jeet
Mohinder Singh and Gurpreet Kangar. The rest of his supporters,
including other MLAs, were stopped at a distance from the venue.
After Preneet
Kaur too was told to go back from the Circuit House, she also joined
the party workers waiting at Leela Bhawan Chowk. A large number of
supporters there stood waiting despite the rain, raising
anti-government slogans for almost three hours, till Amarinder was
allowed to go for lunch at
1 pm.
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What
was he asked?
The VB
has been questioning Amarinder Singh for purchasing a flat
in Dubai for Rs 80 lakh, buying a car at a cost of around Rs
25 lakh, visiting Dubai and staying at a hotel at the cost
of a private person, purchase of agricultural and other
properties, expenditure on New Moti Bagh residence, starting
a dairy farm and a quick rise in its income, partying with
female friends etc. The VB spokesperson later said Amarinder
was “evasive” and gave “unsatisfactory” answers to most of
the questions posed to him. Amarinder, however, said the
session as cordial, but added it was a repeat of a previous
questioning session on May 28 last year. |
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Media reports
said 25 Congress MLAs had reached
Patiala to
demonstrate support for him openly and that all had come of their
own will. Prominent among the supporters were Chaudhary Jagjit
Singh, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Randeep Singh,
Makhan Singh, Rana K.P. Singh, Darshan Singh Brar, Sunil Jakhar and
Harmohinder Singh. Two MLAs, Sher Singh Gagowal and Nirmal Singh
Shutrana, had also extended support, but could not come as they were
hospitalised. MLA Lal Singh was represented by his son Rajinder
Singh. Jagmeet Brar’s younger brother Ripjeet Brar was also present.
Jasdip Singh
Nikku, brother of MLA Randeep Singh of Nabha, also reportedly
reached
Patiala
with a cavalcade of 150 cars to show his support for Capt Amarinder
Singh.
The eight-member
Vigilance team was headed by Patiala VB SSP Shiv Kumar Sharma, SSPs
Kanwarjeet Singh Sandhu and Sandeep Goyal and SPs Chaman Lal, P .S.
Khera and S.S. Mand.
9
July, 2008
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