"She (Bhattal) herself was known to be winning from Lehra Gagga Assembly segment only because of Akalis' help," the Punjab Congress women MLAs said.
In a joint statement, the women legislators including Karan Kaur Brar, Aruna Chaudhary, Harchand Kaur, Preneet Kaur and Gur Iqbal Kaur expressed surprise over Bhattal's remarks, wondering whether she really realised and understood what she was talking about.
"It is so unbecoming of such a senior leader like Bhattal to resort to gender discrimination charge against Capt Amarinder when she herself had enjoyed all the perks of power under his chief ministership," they said while advising her to observe restraint while making statements.
They also told her about the withdrawal of corruption case which was pending against her by the Akali government, while Amarinder had been slapped with two false cases and was still facing the trial.
"It is a common knowledge in Punjab as who from the Congress has an understanding and plays friendly matches with the Akalis," they asserted.