The Gandhis are the Congress, they are responsible for Punjab crisis’: Natwar Singh

New Delhi, Oct 1: Former Union Minister Natwar Singh slammed the Gandhis (Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka) for the Punjab crisis and held them responsible for poor state of affairs in the party.

He criticised the trio in an explosive interview with a TV channel following former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's announcement that he was quitting the party.

"The leadership of the Congress is responsible for the current situation within the party. At one time they were 403 in Lok Sabha, now they are 52. Who is responsible? Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi," Times Now quotes him as saying.

Accusing Rahul Gandhi of calling the shots in the party despite holding no office, the 90-year-old politician said that the Gandhis are irreplaceable in Congress and nobody can send them out.

He added, "They will remain in their office as long as they live, because there will be no agreement to their successor. They will choose their successors if the occasion arises. But I don't see that happening. If they were to leave, the Congress party will split up. The Gandhis are the Congress," the 90-year-old party veteran said."

Natwar Singh, who is the brother-in-law of Amarinder Singh, expressed his anguish over the manner in which he was removed from the CM post. The former minister said that any man with self-respect will not stay in the party after such humiliation, adding Singh's exit is Congress' loss and not vice-versa.

The Punjab Congress got a double jolt after state chief Navjot Sidhu, who made Amarinder Singh resign from the CM post, submitted his resignation a few days ago.

However, the cricketer-turned-politician has withdrawn his resignation now following a meeting with new Charanjit Singh Channi.