Sidhu anti-national, dangerous, total disaster: Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Hours after quitting as Punjab CM, Congress leader Amarinder Singh on Saturday launched a no-holds-barred attack against state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, calling him "anti-national", "dangerous" and a "total disaster".

The Congress veteran also said he won't accept Sidhu as the next chief minister or the party face in the upcoming Assembly polls.

Speaking during a series of media interactions after putting in his papers, Singh made it clear that he had no intention of quitting politics. He dubbed Sidhu as "anti-national, dangerous, unstable, incompetent" and even a security threat to the state and the country. He will fight "tooth and nail" any move to make the Punjab Congress president as the chief minister of Punjab, he said. Singh said there was no question of supporting the state Congress chief, alleging he "is clearly mixed up with Pakistan and a danger, as well as a disaster, for Punjab and the country".

"I cannot allow such a man to destroy us. I will continue to fight the issues that are bad for the state and its people," said Amarinder Singh lashing out at Sidhu for his "close alliance with the leadership across the border". "We have all seen Sidhu hugging (Pakistan prime minister) Imran Khan and (Pak Army chief) General Bajwa (three years ago during a trip to that country), and singing praises for the Pakistan PM at the opening of the Kartarpur corridor while our soldiers were being killed at the borders every day," he said, as per a statement, pointing out that Sidhu had attended Imran's swearing-in even after he (Amarinder) categorically told him not to.

"The government of Punjab means the security of India and if Sidhu is made the face of the Congress for chief ministership, I will oppose it tooth and nail," he added. Amarinder, who has been asked by the Governor to continue in office as chief minister till alternative arrangements are made, said Sidhu could never be a good leader for Punjab.