Amarinder Singh set to join BJP; his son, daughter to follow suit

Former chief minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh is likely to join the BJP here on Monday along with his son and daughter and supporters in the presence of senior leaders of the ruling party. Singh (80) will also merge his newly formed Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).   Singh had floated the PLC last year after quitting the Congress following his unceremonious exit as chief minister, but his party failed to win any seat in the state assembly polls. Singh himself lost from his home turf of Patiala Urban.   The PLC contested the elections in alliance with the BJP and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt). Singh will join the BJP in the presence of its senior leaders in Delhi on Monday, PLC spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal had said.

Sources said the former Punjab chief ministers son Raninder Singh and daughter Jai Inder Kaur will also join the saffron party along with him, besides some other leaders from the state.

Singhs wife Preneet Kaur is the Lok Sabha MP of the Congress from the Patiala seat.

The BJP is seeking to strengthen its base in Punjab through this merger. Singh had recently returned from London following a spinal surgery, and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.   After his meeting with Shah on September 12, Singh said he held a very productive discussion on various issues related to national security, rising cases of narco-terrorism in Punjab and the future roadmap for the states overall holistic development.

The two-time former chief minister is the scion of the erstwhile Patiala royal family.

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