Punjab: Amarinder’s comeback with a bang

Punjab: After two years of inactivity, 82-year-old former chief minister and now BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh has come out with a message that he is sensitive to Punjab’s problems and is ready to take another step in politics. The visit will shake up the politics of Punjab, where the AAP government is facing difficulties in paddy procurement; the main regional party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has lost its roots; and the BJP has not included the “old” and “hibernating” Captain Amarinder Singh in its strategy for Punjab.

In interviews and photographs to the media, Captain Amarinder Singh was seen giving the message that he is once again in the fray. He was not seen in public after undergoing spinal surgery in Switzerland. He has lost about 30 kg of weight. He stressed on his fitness in interviews to the media, saying that he can “walk without any stick.” His visit at around 10 am was early compared to the “usual” practice of the former chief minister planning programmes for the afternoon or later. He also gave interviews to the media besides taking TV crews with him. His reappearance comes at a time when the BJP has reposed faith in Captain Amarinder’s former Congress colleague and now state BJP president Sunil Jakhar.