Punjab Assembly polls: 'Amarinder spent cartridge,' says Sidhu

Amarinder Singh said he was told that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be grateful if he can keep Sidhu in the govt

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday dubbed former CM Amarinder Singh a "spent cartridge", responding to his claim that he had got a request from Pakistan to reinstate the ex-cricketer in his government.

Amarinder Singh, who has floated a new party after leaving the Congress and is fighting the Punjab Assembly polls in an alliance with the BJP, said he was told that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be grateful if he can keep Sidhu in the government.

Amarinder Singh had dropped Sidhu from his Cabinet when he was heading the Congress government in Punjab and was against appointing him as the Punjab unit chief of the party.

Reacting to the former CM's remark, Sidhu dubbed the ex-CM as a "spent cartridge" while refusing to make any further comment at a press conference where he attacked the Aam Aadmi Party, describing as “scam” the survey it conducted to select its CM face.

Congress leader Alka Lamba, who was also present, responding to a volley of questions said they will give their reply on the former CM's charge in the next press meet.

"After I dropped Navjot Sidhu from my government, I got a message from Pakistan that he is an old friend of their prime minister and he would be grateful if you can keep him in the government. If he (Sidhu) doesn't work, then you can remove him," Amarinder Singh claimed in New Delhi during a press conference at the BJP headquarters.

On Sunday, Amarinder Singh had said in Chandigarh that Sidhu has "no brains" and also claimed that he had advised Congress president Sonia Gandhi five years ago not to induct "this incompetent man" in the party.