The rebel Congress movement in favour of Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh is gaining ground. Captain supporters are now openly flaunting a slogan: Captain Liyao, Punjab Bachao (Bring Captain, Save Punjab). At a rally in Dharamkot in Moga district on Monday, organised by Congress leader Sukhjit Singh Kaka Lohgarh, the slogan made its way onto all posters and banners at the venue. It first appeared at the Issru political conference at Khanna on August 15, but the organiser, MLA Gurkirat Kotli, had claimed that they had been displayed by ‘supporters’ and not by party leaders. This time, however, the gloves are off. Not only are Amarinder supporters taking credit for the posters but are also stating that “they do not fear disciplinary action as they have done nothing wrong”. “The party president is (Partap Singh) Bajwa but we are not satisfied with his work. We want Captain to be the face of the Congress in the 2017 Assembly elections. I deliberately put all these slogans and posters in favour of Captain. Whom should I fear? I organised this rally for Captain and to present him as our leader to the people of my area. We do not fear any disciplinary action for speaking against Bajwa because we are presenting the sentiments of the people,” Lohgarh told The Indian Express. Sources further said that Lohgarh has aspirations for the Dharamkot ticket and has already started pushing Captain to pitch his name to All India Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi. “Of course, I will contest elections in 2017 from Dharamkot irrespective of whether the Congress gives me a ticket or not,” he said. Senior Congress leader Darshan Singh Brar of Baghapurana, where Captain is expected to reach on September 9, also attended Monday’s rally. He said there was absolutely no need to worry about disciplinary action. “If people want Captain and we are supporting them, is it wrong? Earlier we had to send buses and trolleys to ferry people for rallies and now hundreds of vehicles flooded with people reach on their own. If Captain Liyao, Punjab Bachao is their slogan then there is nothing wrong if we support it,” said Brar, who was once a Bajwa loyalist but recently shifted sides. Surprisingly, Punjab Mahila Congress chief Malti Thapar, considered close to Bajwa, was also seen raising slogans in favor of Captain along with Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Sodhi. Badals are golak thieves: Captain Captain said that Badals are no better than the ‘golak thieves’ bungling SGPC money. “Not only have they looted and robbed Punjab all these years and turned it bankrupt, they have not even spared the SGPC, whose money they have bungled and misused,” he alleged while addressing the rally.
