With the former Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Jagmeet Singh Brar joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Chief Minister Amarinder Singh termed it as an “opportunistic, last-ditch resort” to rescue his political career after “failing” to wriggle his way back into the Congress.

Citing a series of WhatsApp messages received from Brar over the last few weeks, Amarinder said that the former MP was apparently desperate to get back into politics.

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However, he decided to go with the Badals, whom he had promised “to fix” if the Congress agreed to take him back, he said, adding that Brar had a political agenda to further and was ready to do it “by hook or by crook”.

The former MP had, for the last several weeks, been trying unabashedly to get into the Congress but, with the party high command refusing to intervene and he (Amarinder) himself not responding to any of Brar’s desperate messages, the former MP had decided to throw his weight behind the SAD, the CM said in a statement.

Clearly, Brar had decided to throw himself at the feet of the very Badals after his (the chief minister’s) persistent refusal to acknowledge and respond to the former MP’s desperate messages, the statement added.

The Congress was better off without such “opportunistic and self-seeking” individuals, said Amarinder, adding that he hoped Brar would be more loyal to the Badals than he had been to the Congress party which was instrumental in shaping his political career.

Amarinder also took a dig at the Badals for embracing Brar out of “sheer frustration” in the face of their imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, scheduled to be held in Punjab on May 19. “They (the Badals) must be equally desperate to take in a ‘carpetbagger’ like Brar,” he said.

It was laughable that Brar had joined the SAD just 10 days after seeking “forgiveness” for his acts and promising to give his “remaining years” to the “Maharaja of Patiala” and to “fix the Badals in Punjab”.

Brar’s last message was as recent as 11 April when he finally gave up any pretext of wanting to be a loyal soldier of the Congress led by Amarinder in Punjab and exposing his true intent of wanting a ticket to fight from Bathinda seat, the statement said further.