CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh hinted on Wednesday that he is open to seat-sharing arrangements with the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rebels, once he floats his new political organisation.
Pointing out that he had never spoken of aligning with the BJP, Amarinder said what he wanted to do was seat sharing. He further made it clear that he had no intention of aligning with the SAD but only with breakaway Akali groups.
The official launch of his party will come once the Election Commission clears the name and symbol, Singh said. He also hit out at the Congress, saying many from the party were in touch with him and they will come out in the open when the time comes.
“The Congress is nowhere in the picture in Punjab and their fight would be with the Shiromani Akali Dal,” he said.
Amarinder slammed his detractors – particularly Navjot Sidhu and Sukhjinder Randhawa – for indulging in petty issues. “We will fight and defeat Sidhu from wherever he contests the upcoming Assembly polls,” he vowed, adding that since the former had taken over the Punjab Congress reins, there had been a 25 per cent drop in the party’s popularity, as per his surveys.
Backs BSF presence
Supporting the Centre for extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Forces (BSF) in Punjab’s border villages, Amarinder Singh said there has been something very wrong and dangerous happening at the borders, which the state could ill-afford to ignore. He also slammed the Punjab government over its repeated denial of any serious security concerns. The BSF is here for helping maintain national security as we are a border state,” he said.
To meet HM on farm stir
Amarinder Singh will soon lead a non-political delegation of agricultural experts to meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom he will be meeting in Delhi again on Thursday, to discuss possible solutions to the ongoing farmers’ stir.
“I think I can help find a solution as I have been the chief minister of Punjab and am also an agriculturist. While there could be no pre-decided formula for a resolution, something will emerge during the talks as both sides (the Centre and the farmers) want a resolution to the crisis,’’ he said.