Punjab CM Amarinder Singh rules out alliance with AAP

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh today ruled out the need for an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state but said the decision on a coalition with the party would be taken by the Congress high command.

He was responding to questions from media persons during an informal chat after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi to discuss a host of state government and party related issues, particularly in view of the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The Punjab CM said that AAP was non-existent in Punjab, and there was absolutely no need for the Congress in the state to go in for alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal’s party. He added that the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) had conveyed these views to the high command earlier though the matter was not discussed at his meeting today with Rahul.

AAP had become defunct, with no identity now in Punjab, as against the situation prevailing in the last Lok Sabha elections, Mr Singh asserted. However, any decision on a coalition would be taken by the Congress high command, keeping in mind the national perspective and electoral compulsions, and would be followed by PPCC, said the chief minister.

Exuding confidence that his party would win all Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, the CM  said the best candidates would be chosen by the party.

Replying to a question on a possible reshuffle in his cabinet, the Chief Minister said the issue of any change in portfolios of the ministers was not discussed during the meeting with Rahul.

On the issue of the Kartarpur Corridor, Captain Amarinder Singh said while Pakistan had already started work on the construction of the road on their side, development work had yet to start in the Indian Punjab, as the state government had not received any funds so far from the Centre for acquiring land for building the infrastructure.