Speaking at a Lok Sabha session in 2015, PM Modi had said, “People can doubt my understanding on some subjects, but no one can doubt my political sense. My understanding tells me never to remove MGNREGA because it is an example of six decades of failure of the Congress party; it has to pay people to dig ditches.”
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Prime Minister Modi had then spoken about MGNREGA in a lighter vein. However, six years later, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister is indeed bestowed with keen political observation and understanding. His political skills become clear from what has happened in Punjab and Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s resignation.
PM Modi’s remarks about Amarinder Singh in 2018:
Speaking amidst the euphoria of BJP‘s landslide victory in the state of Tripura, PM Modi had an interesting compliment to make for Amarinder Singh, then the Chief Minister of Punjab. PM Modi had said, “Neither he (Amarinder) nor they (Congress) consider each other their own. He is a ‘swatantra fauji’ (independent soldier).”
PM Modi had thus left the Indian National Congress (INC) red-faced by impliedly suggesting that all was not well between Amarinder and the senior Congress leader. As time would tell, PM Modi’s remarks were actually prophetic and accurate.
Amarinder had then denied PM Modi’s insinuations:
Former Punjab CM had reacted sharply to Prime Minister Modi’s ‘independent soldier’ remark. Singh had tweeted, “Who told you that Narendra Modi Ji? Not me for sure. Did the INC high command complain to you against me? Anyways, let me make it clear that such frivolous statements won’t help you create a wedge between me and my party, which has full faith in my leadership & vice versa.”
Who told you that @narendramodi ji? Not me for sure. Did the @INCIndia high command complain to you against me? Anyways, let me make it clear that such frivolous statements won’t help you create a wedge between me and my party, which has full faith in my leadership & vice versa. pic.twitter.com/sIZUs3Q2cK
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 3, 2018
Amarinder Singh had also said, “Contrary to what Mr Modi would like to believe, the Congress was not a fly-by-night party which he could simply wish away.”
PM Modi vindicated:
Well, Singh had done what every political leader ordinarily does- refute suggestions of any rift in his political party. However, in 2021, PM Modi has been vindicated.
A visibly miffed Amarinder Singh resigned on Saturday as Punjab CM and said, “I have resigned. I spoke to the Congress president in the morning. I told her I am resigning.”
Amarinder resigned minutes before the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting at the PPCC headquarters in Chandigarh. The former Punjab CM added, “I feel humiliated. This has happened for the third time. They called MLAs twice in Delhi. And now this third meeting. I feel they have no confidence in my work.”
In a blistering attack at the party leadership, Singh also said, “Apparently they (Congress high command) do not have confidence in me and did not think that I could handle my job. I felt humiliated at the manner in which they handled the whole affair.”
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In what exposed apparent cracks within the INC in Punjab, Singh added, “I will never accept Navjot Sidhu as CM. He is a total disaster. He could not run a single ministry. How will he run the whole state? I know his capability.”
The manner in which Amarinder has quit as the Punjab CM and all the remarks that he made vindicate Prime Minister Modi’s 2018 remarks and establishes his brilliant foresight.