Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday asserted that his newly-founded Punjab Lok Congress will form the next government in the state with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party and and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukta), PTI reported.
Elections to the Punjab Assembly are expected to be held in February-March 2022.
Singh made the statement after a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Chandigarh. However, he said that no political developments were discussed during their meeting.
“God willing, we and with our seat adjustment with the BJP and with Mr [Sukhdev Singh] Dhindsa’s party [Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt)], we will form the government,” he said. The Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukta) is a breakaway faction of the Akali Dal.
Singh had stepped down as the chief minister of Punjab on September 18 amid a tussle with state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.
In October, he quit the Congress and launched his own party, the Punjab Lok Congress. At that time, Singh had said that he was hopeful of a seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP if the farmers’ protest against the agricultural laws were resolved. The saffron party, too, had said that it was open to an alliance with Singh.
On Monday, both Houses of the Parliament passed a Bill to repeal the three contentious farm laws.
“Everything is now over,” Singh said on Monday, according to PTI. “The three bills [laws] have been repealed by Parliament. So, there is no issue left.”
He assured that cases filed against protestors in Punjab and Haryana will be withdrawn.
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