Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Express Photo) Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Express Photo)

Congress spokesperson Sukhpal Singh Khaira Friday joined the AAP, alleging that AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi “compromised ideology in a bid to come to power in the state”. He called PPCC chief Amarinder Singh “tired, corrupt and feudal”.

Addressing mediapersons, Khaira took a dig at Rahul, stating he had given in to the “arm-twisting” tactics of Amarinder and named him president of the state unit of the Congress. Khaira said he had given “20 years of his prime” to the party and was hopeful of a bright future when Rahul took over as vice-president and talked of a generational shift in the party. “But in the recent rejig of the PPCC, Amarinder Singh, Ambika Soni and Lal Singh, who will all turn 75 in 2017, have virtually been handed over the reins of the party. This shows Rahul has compromised his principles,” Khaira said.

He alleged that Amarinder was “hand-in-glove” with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and as a part of this “quid pro quo”, cases of corruption such as Ludhiana City Centre scam and Amritsar Improvement Trust scam against him “stood at the same point” in the courts since last seven years.

He said both the Congress and the Akalis were different sides of the same coin: “They have a secret understanding to loot the state and not allow any other party to come to power… ” He alleged that Amarinder was answerable to the people for his wife Preneet Kaur’s accounts in Swiss banks.

Earlier, AAP Punjab convenor Sucha Singh Chhotepur welcomed Khaira to the party, saying it was a “big day” for AAP when a “courageous voice” joined the party.

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