AAP image on decline, Cong going strong: claims Amarinder

Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today said AAP's "image" was on the "decline" while Congress' position was getting "strong", a factor, he claimed would help it in the 2017 state Assembly polls.
"AAP is a new phenomena. There is no organisational set up (in the party). If you look back, their performance in Delhi is totally pathetic and zero," Amarinder claimed while addressing reporters here.
"Arvind Kejriwal initially when he was with Anna (Hazare) had said that he would never contest polls and now he has become the CM (of Delhi). How can you trust him," he asked.

He further said that AAP's party is image is "on the decline".
"I give you an example. AAP won Patiala parliamentary seat (2014). Preneet Kaur from Patiala city (part of Parliamentary seat) was ahead by 5,000 votes. But when bye-elections (for Patiala city) were held later, Preneet Kaur won seat by 17,000 votes. So AAP image is going down not here but everywhere," he claimed.
"I do not think people now have liking ('jazba') for AAP. And we will gain with that. Our position is strong," he said.

Taking on AAP, Amarinder said that the party "does not have people" who have "experience to run the state".

"AAP has no experience. Sucha Singh Chottepur, who was a friend of mine remained a minister in Barnala government for three months. It is the only government experience they have. With people like Bhagwant Mann (Sangrur MP), how will you manage the state when problems are so immense like a debt of Rs 1.25 lakh crore debt etc," he said.
Claiming that Congress's position is "sound" and it is "growing in strength", Amarinder underscored the need for running the state "firmly" to bring the state out of the "mess".
"It is the Congress which can bring the state out of the problems," he further claimed.

On Sukhpal Khaira joining AAP, Amarinder said that there would be "no impact" on the party with one person leaving it.
"It is unfortunate that one of our colleagues (Sukhpal Khaira) yesterday left us. His father was good friend of mine. Sukhpal was like my own son. Sometimes, in politics, such things happen. Congress party is like big sea...There is nothing to worry about. One person goes and several join the party," he said.