Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh is likely to launch his new political party on Wednesday, 27 October, PTI reported. Singh had resigned from his post of chief minister of Punjab last month amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
On Tuesday morning, Singh's media advisor Raveen Thukral took to social media to announce that Amarinder Singh would be addressing a press conference in Chandigarh on Wednesday at 11am.
The development comes just months ahead of the Punjab Assembly Elections.
Last week on Tuesday, 19 October, Thukral quoted the ex-CM as saying that he will soon announce his own party and is hopeful for a seat arrangement with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if the farmers' protest is resolved ahead of the polls.
"The battle for Punjab's future is on. Will soon announce the launch of my own political party to serve the interests of Punjab & its people, including our farmers who've been fighting for their survival for over a year," Amarinder had said, according to Thukral.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that Amarinder Singh would be making a big mistake by starting his new political outfit, adding that his face would be left scarred. He also said that the Congress party always gave respect and several positions to Singh.
PPCC chief Sidhu's wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu also attacked Amarinder Singh. "Don't think any Congress MLA will leave with him. If he gave any favour to anyone, they might. But people get attached to a party. One man alone doesn't form a party. Those attached to Congress won't go," she said, as per ANI.
"He was given all freedom by the party, but he didn't give power to any worker, never openly met any min or MLA. Who'll trust him? It would've been best for him had he joined SAD. It would've laid people's suspicion to rest & he would've been able to win a few seats," she added.
Randhawa had called for an investigation into Captain Amarinder Singh's friend Aroosa Alam, a Pakistani journalist, to determine whether she has links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Singh later ridiculed Randhawa's claims and posted a series of pictures of Aroosa Alam with various dignitaries, saying, "I suppose they are all also contacts of the ISI." The dignitaries included Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the late Union Minister Sushma Swaraj, Yashwant Sinha, among others.
Last week, Amarinder had said he was looking at an alliance with like-minded parties.
"Hopeful of a seat arrangement with farmers' 2022 Punjab Assembly polls if the farmers' protest is resolved in farmers' interest. Also looking at an alliance with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups, particularly Dhindsa and Brahmpura factions," he had said.
He also said he would not rest until he secured the future of the people of Punjab and the state of Punjab. "Punjab needs political stability and protection from internal & external threats. I promise my people I will do what it takes to ensure its peace and security, which is today at stake."
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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