Speculation over Amarinder Singh’s next move, may launch party on Wednesday

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh may launch his new political party here on Wednesday, according to speculation triggered by the announcement of a press conference.

Singh had last week said he would soon launch his own party, and that he was hopeful of a seat arrangement with the BJP provided the ongoing farmers’ stir against farm laws was resolved in their interest.

The development comes just months ahead of the Punjab assembly elections.

Singh, who faced an unceremonious exit from the state government last month, had also said that he was looking at alliances with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups.

The two-time chief minister had added that he would not rest till he secures the future of “my people and my state”.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday, however, said if Amarinder Singh floated a new political outfit, he would be making a “big mistake”.

Singh’s face in Punjab will be “scarred”, Randhawa said, and added that the Congress gave respect to Amarinder Singh and he enjoyed several posts in the party.

Randhawa has been attacking Amarinder Singh over his friendship with Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam.

He even went to the extent of saying that a probe would be carried out to ascertain if Alam has links with Pakistan’s spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, too attacked Amarinder Singh over the issue of his new political party.

Amarinder Singh never came out of his farmhouse in the last four and a half years, and now, he suddenly talks about floating a party, she alleged.

Navjot Kaur Sidhu further said Amarinder Sigh already had a party and he could have done some work in the last over four years.

Singh had resigned as the Punjab chief minister last month amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Sidhu.

After resigning, he had said that he felt “humiliated”.

The Congress replaced Singh with Charanjit Singh Channi.

Singh had also dubbed Sidhu “anti-national” and “dangerous”, saying he would pit a strong candidate against the state party chief in the upcoming assembly polls.

Singh had last month met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and had discussed the prolonged farmers’ stir with him while urging him to resolve the crisis urgently with the repeal of the three farm laws.