Punjab election: Captain Amarinder Singh has formed is own party
BJP general secretary in charge of Punjab Dushyant Gautam on Thursday said the party is preparing to contest all 117 seats in the assembly election, and the party high command will take a decision on alliance with Captain Amarinder Singh's new party, Punjab Lok Congress.
"We are preparing to contest all 117 seats in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections. The final decision of alliance between BJP and Captain's new political party will only be taken by the high command," Mr Gautam said.
This came after Captain Amarinder Singh launched his new political party after quitting Congress and is hopeful of a tie-up with the BJP if the ongoing protest by farmers for minimum support price, or MSP, is resolved "in the interest of farmers".
In tweets by his media advisor Raveen Thukral, the former Chief Minister said he is looking for an alliance with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups, "particularly Dhindsa and Brahmpura factions".
In addition, the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 was passed in both houses of parliament on Monday, the first day of the winter session.
BJP national executive council Harjit Singh Grewal said the BJP and Amarinder Singh have the same ideologies. "If we form an alliance with his party, then it will be good for Punjab. But the decision to form an alliance with Captain's new party will only be taken by party high command," the BJP leader said.
Reacting to the speculations over this alliance, Congress spokesperson Kamaljit Singh Brar said this alliance will not affect the party in Punjab.
"BJP will not be able to form its government in Punjab even after repealing the three farm laws. Farmers are also demanding a legal guarantee on MSP and justice for the family of farmers who lost their lives in this year-long protest," Mr Brar said.
Taking a swipe at Amarinder Singh, the Congress spokesperson said, "Our party is not getting affected with the withdrawal of Captain. The work he was not able to do in 4.5 years has been done by our current Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi in just a few months."
The Punjab election will be held early next year.
In the 2017 polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years.
The Aam Aadmi Party had emerged as the second-largest party, winning 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal could only manage to win 15 seats, while the BJP took three seats.