Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that his decision to part with the Congress was final and denied holding “backend talks” with the party.

Singh was responding to a media report that claimed senior Congress leaders were holding discussions to convince him to stay in the party. “The time for rapprochement is over,” he said.

The former Punjab chief minister clarified that he will not stay in the Congress but launch his own political party soon.

“I will hold talks for seat sharing with the BJP, breakaway Akali factions and others for Punjab elections once farmers’ issue is resolved,” Singh’s media advisor Raveen Thukral quoted him as saying. “I want to build strong collective force in interest of Punjab and its farmers.”

Advertisement

Singh had announced on Wednesday said that his new political party will contest all the 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled to be held next year. “The name [of the party] will be announced once the Election Commission clears it along with the symbol,” he had added. Singh claimed that many Congress leaders would join his party.

Singh had stepped down as the chief minister of Punjab in September after a bitter feud with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Since then, Singh has repeatedly criticised the Congress for humiliating him.

Days after resigning from the top post, Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, setting off speculation that he would join the BJP.

Advertisement

Singh’s media advisor dismissed the speculation but said the former Punjab chief minister would consider forming an alliance with the BJP and breakaway Akali Dal groups ahead of the Assembly elections in the state.

After the announcement, Congress leader Harish Rawat said that Singh seemed to have “killed the secular Amarinder within himself”.

But Singh reminded him that the Congress has taken in Sidhu after his 14-year stint with the BJP.