Exclusive: Amarinder BJP's trump card in Punjab; Congress a sinking ship, says Natwar Singh

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat's Rakesh Tripathi, former Congress leader Kunwar Natwar Singh speaks about the grand old party's 'downfall' and whether there is any chance of its recuperation.

New Delhi:Former Congress leader Kunwar Natwar Singh believes that BJP will reap the benefit of former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh's 'friendship' in the 2024 General Elections.

Amarinder Singh, as per sources, is all set to merge his party Punjab Lok Congress with BJP after he returns to India from London post his spinal surgery. Captain, Singh said, is set to play a responsible role in BJP, especially in the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 when BJP would be focused on 13 seats in Punjab to strengthen the saffron party's position in the border state.

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat's Rakesh Tripathi, Singh, who turned 91 last May, said that Congress leaders had not done justice to Amarinder. "I was not aware of his (Amarinder Singh's) removal. They made the decision at 11 pm and the PCC meeting finished in the morning. They did not even bother to inform him (about his sacking). He was the chief minister, they should not have behaved with him in such a manner," he said. "There are no two ways about it that BJP will benefit from him in Punjab," Singh added.

With several senior congress leaders including those who were close to the Gandhi family joining BJP, Natwar Singh said the condition of the grand old party was "pathetic" now. "Their acceptability among the masses is declining. India needs a strong Congress but the party does not have strong leadership to take it forward," he added.

"Once Rahul Gandhi's close coterie, Jyotiraditya Scindhia, Jitin Prasad, and RPN Singh left Congress. This reminds me of the time when Rajiv Gandhi's close confidantes Arun Singh and VP Singh had deserted him," he said. Singh said that while it was true that Congress was a pan-India party with workers in every state, its leadership was very weak.

"It is evident now that they (Congress leader) cannot manage it now," he said. Asked if he was referring to Rahul Gandhi, Singh said that Rahul as well as Priyanka and Sonia Gandhi were taking the decisions together. "I have seen Rahul since his childhood. He was asked to become the party president but he resigned. However, he still continues to interfere every day. He is the one who is making the decisions. Congress party has become immobile (under him)," the former external affairs minister said.

Congress' "downfall", he said, has been witnessed by the entire country. "Congress used to make governments in almost all states of India but now it has been reduced to just two states - Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, and even those two may go to BJP in the next elections," Singh said, adding "imagine a party that was established in 1885 and had leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Plate, is in such a state today."

Gandhi family's control

Natwar Singh said that Sonia Gandhi has been functioning as Congress president for the last 24 years without any elections. "How can this work in a democracy," he said. Asked about the notion that if a non-Gandhi is elected as Congress president, he or she will not get any support, Singh said that even if that happens, the fact is that the new leader will be chosen by the Gandhis themselves. "No one can dare decide over them. They (Gandhis) are the ones who choose. Till the time the party functions in this manner, it is not possible to fix it," Singh asserted.

What should Congress do?

The veteran politician said Congress' position can only improve if it starts winning elections in states, however, the same was "not likely" in the current situation. "I wish them long and healthy lives but it is also a fact that till the time they are here, Congress party will not see any other leaders," he added.

'No one to stand in front of PM Modi'

According to Natwar Singh, there was no one in the Congress who could come even close to the oratory skills of PM Narendra Modi. "Prime Minister Modi speaks like an orator, Rahul Gandhi does not. The Prime Minister speaks with confidence. There is no one on the other side who can come even close to that. I am only speaking about his oratory skills. When he speaks, he creates an impression among the people that he is a leader," Singh said. Singh confidently said that PM Modi-led BJP will once again come to power in the 2024 elections as there was no one to challenge him.