The Akali Dal chief said Punjabis want to know who is the real leader (of Congress). (File)
Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday asked the Congress to announce its chief ministerial face for next year's Assembly polls, saying people want to know who is their real leader.
The statement came two days after the Congress said it will fight the Punjab elections under the leadership of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state party president Navjot Singh Sidhu, and both will be their faces.
The Congress went into damage control after it came under attack from various parties over the statement of its general secretary Harish Rawat that the party would go to polls with Mr Sidhu as it face.
"First, the Congress high command announced one name but when an objection was raised it has now announced two names. Soon, there may be three leaders who will be given this assignment. Punjabis want to know who is the real leader," Mr Badal said in a statement.
Mr Badal said all this proved that the fight in the Congress had nothing to do with any public issue but it was for the top post.
"The fight was also for the spoils of power. While the outgoing leadership has looted the state, the incoming one wants to grab the chance to do the same in the next three months," he alleged.
The truth is that the entire Congress party is responsible for "failing" Punjabis, he said.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi were behind the party's election manifesto and had endorsed all promises made by former chief minister Amarinder Singh, he stated.
"None of these promises have been honoured. Instead of doing this, the Congress now wants to befool people with a change of guard. Punjabis are not so foolish. They will give a befitting answer to the Congress in the 2022 Assembly elections," he said.
Meanwhile, Congressman and entrepreneur Jagdev Singh Boparai joined the Akali Dal in the presence of Mr Badal.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)