Punjab's former Chief Minister and Congress veteran Amarinder Singh had an hour-long meeting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his home in Delhi amid his party's crisis in Punjab and speculation about joining the BJP days after he stepped down from the top post in the state. Mr Singh had refused to answer questions about joining BJP, but while resigning as the Chief Minister earlier this month, had spoken of having his options open. His team has called it a "courtesy visit", leaving questions unanswered about his future plans.
Later in the evening, his media advisor Raveen Thukral quoted him as saying that he discussed farmers' issues with the Union Home Minister.
Yesterday, Mr Thukral had said, "too much being read into Captain Amarinder's visit to Delhi".
"He is on a personal visit, during which he'll meet some friends and vacate Kapurthala House (the Punjab Chief Minister's residence in the national capital)... No need for unnecessary speculation," he had added.
The Congress has refused to speculate on the issue. In the first official reaction of the party, senior leader Manish Tiwari told NDTV, "There must be a valid, cogent reason. Ask the Captain. I'm sure he will be happy to answer".
Earlier this month, Mr Singh stepped down from the post of the Punjab Chief Minister a year ahead of elections, after a long and bitter feud with detractors, including cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was elevated by the Gandhis to the post of the party chief.
While stepping down, Mr Singh -- seen as the Congress's biggest mass leader in the state -- said he was "humiliated" thrice by the Congress leadership in his battle with Mr Sidhu.
He also said his political options were open and that he would take a decision after talking to "friends".
The 79-year-old has been with the Congress for over four decades and had his share of ups and downs with the leadership. Seen for years as a Gandhi family loyalist, he had signalled his reservations of late.
After stepping down, in a no-holds-barred criticism of the Gandhis, he said "I was ready to leave after the victory but never after a loss... If she (Sonia Gandhi) had just called me and asked me to step down, I would have. As a soldier, I know how to do my task".
The Gandhi siblings – who had staunchly backed Navjot Sidhu through the crisis -- he dismissed as "politically inexperienced" and said they were being misled by advisors.
Yesterday, triggering a fresh shock for the Congress, Mr Sidhu – who hoped to succeed Mr Singh in the top post – resigned citing the new Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's picks for cabinet.
Amarinder Singh's reaction was "I told you so".
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