New Delhi: Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Monday (September 19, 2022) joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that it was time for him to go to the party that is looking after the country’s interests and security. The ex-Congress leader also merged his Punjab Lok Congress with the saffron party. The veteran leader joined the BJP at its headquarters in Delhi in the presence of Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Kiren Rijiju along with several Punjab leaders. His son Raninder Singh and daughter Jai Inder Kaur also joined the saffron camp.
“Now is the time to do something for the country. We have seen the Congress, now it is time to go to the party which has been doing so much for the country and its security. It is a pleasure being here,” he told a press conference.
Happy to share that @plcpunjab today merged with @BJP4India in the presence of Union ministers @AmitShah, @nstomar, @KirenRijiju and BJP national president @JPNadda Ji.
Will continue to work for the betterment of Punjab. Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/H9Poy1Ggc3
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 19, 2022
On being questioned whether his wife Preneet Kaur, a Congress MP from Patiala, would also join the BJP, he asked “if it is necessary for the wife to do what the husband is doing”.
Along with Singh, former deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly Ajaib Singh Bhatti, former MP Amrik Singh Aliwal, former legislators Harchand Kaur, Harinder Singh Thekedar, Prem Mittal and labour leader Kewal Singh also joined the BJP with scores of his supporters.
The former adviser to Amarinder Singh, BIS Chahal, also joined the saffron party.
Former Punjab CM Shri @capt_amarinder joins BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. #JoinBJP https://t.co/UURLEy51Q2
— BJP (@BJP4India) September 19, 2022
Later, Singh also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda.