Pilot, who took over as the AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab last month, also ruled out having a chief ministerial face in the state, saying all its leaders are “fighting together as a team”.
Assembly elections are due in Punjab early next year.
After securing the mandate from the people, the Congress would listen to the party workers, leaders and MLAs before taking a final call as to who will lead Punjab, Pilot told PTI Videos in an interview.
Asked whether, in cricketing terminology, he had been sent in to bat in Punjab when the asking rate is sky-high, Pilot said be it 13 or 14 runs an over, “every match is winnable, if you want to win”.
“I think the Punjab Congress and all our workers want to win this match, not for ourselves, but to save Punjab from where it is headed,” he said.
“Punjab has seen Akali Dal-BJP and AAP governments over the years, but it was the Congress that actually fought terrorism, got development done and brought in investments to the state,” Pilot said.Hailing new Punjab Congress chief Pargat Singh as a “unifying captain”, Pilot said the former India hockey skipper has reached out to almost all the state leaders, and everyone has supported him on record.
“We’re working together as a team. I said a few days ago to Pargat Singh ji that ‘you are one captain who’s got a fantastic team, and the captain is only as strong as his team’. So, the 11 playing members of the team are quite strong,” Pilot said.
“We have leaders like Mr (Partap Singh) Bajwa, Mr (Sukhjinder) Randhawa, Mr (Charanjit) Channi and Amarinder Singh Raja Warring – who are all experienced and deep grassroots people.
“On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party is only banking on Chief Minister Bhagwan Mann, while everybody else is pretty much not in consideration of any sort,” he told PTI.
And no team can win with just the captain or the vice-captain; it has to be a full team with players, a coach and a manager, Pilot said, stressing the importance of unity.
On Congress’ chances of winning the Punjab elections, Pilot said emphatically: “100 per cent.”
Pressed on being so confident of a victory, he said, “Why won’t it happen? I have full faith in my party and my leaders. And I know that the people of Punjab are fed up.”
Asked the number of seats the Congress expects to win, Pilot did not commit to any figures but said, “I know Punjab’s people, they don’t hold back – ‘jab woh deta hai, chappar phaad ke deta hai’ (when they give, they give plenty).”
On Congress not having a chief ministerial face in Punjab, Pilot said his party never has a CM face except where it is in government and the incumbent chief minister becomes the obvious face and leads the campaign.
“When in opposition, the leader of the opposition, the party president, and senior leaders work in tandem. So, there may be a first among equals, but there’s no chief ministerial face.
“We’re fighting together as a team. Let the team win. And then we’ll decide who gets to do what job,” the Congress leader said.
Asked if the party would take a cue from the BJP and spring a surprise chief minister if it wins the polls, as the saffron party did in Rajasthan by appointing Bhajanlal Sharma, Pilot said, “I don’t want to comment on what the BJP does. But if someone has to spring a name, at least they should come up with some appropriate name. I mean, the BJP comes up with names that even its workers don’t know.
“So, we will not do that. We will listen to our party workers, leaders and MLAs and then take a final call as to who will lead Punjab,” Pilot said.
He also said that despite the presence of multiple parties, the main competition in Punjab will be between the Congress and the AAP.
Noting that the BJP has a lot of resources, Pilot said it would still not be able to become a major player.
“Of course, they (BJP) will try to get a foothold. But remember, they’ve always piggybacked on the Akali Dal whenever they’ve been in government… But I don’t think they’re a major player. And the people of Punjab don’t want to waste their vote. Why will they vote for a party that they know can never form a government?” he said.
On Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Pilot said it has splintered into a couple of factions and is not as strong as it used to be when Parkash Singh Badal was around.
“I don’t want to write anybody off, and it’s wrong for me to assess my opponents. But again, I don’t think people would want to vote for a party that they know will not be in a position to form the government,” Pilot said.
He also accused the AAP of betraying the people of Punjab, saying many of its Rajya Sabha MPs quit and joined the NDA.
“So, people’s faith has diminished in AAP,” he said.
With elections due early next year, Punjab is heading for a multi-cornered contest, with AAP looking to retain power, and the Congress wanting to wrest the state by keeping the SAD and the BJP at bay.
