Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, along with his family members, joined the BJP and also merged his months-old outfit with the saffron party. He is the tallest Sikh leader from Punjab who has joined the BJP since its inception.
Singh had resigned from the Congress last year after he was unceremoniously removed as the chief minister ahead of the assembly polls. Singh then floated his own party Punjab Lok Congress and contested elections in alliance with the BJP. But he was badly trounced as the party could not win any seat including his own.
For the BJP, Singh's inclusion would send a message that it was no longer a Hindu party as seen in the border state. The BJP had earlier included many Congress leaders considered close to him in the party. The saffron party has always been favourably inclined towards Amarinder Singh as he was seen as a nationalist and never known to mince words on key issues.
Singh was inducted into the party by Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Kiren Rijiju.
Several former MPs and MLAs also joined the BJP. Among family members who joined were Amarinder's daughter Jai Inder Kaur, son Raninder Singh, and two grandchildren.
Tomar said Punjab being a border state needs peace and harmony. "Captain's thinking has always matched with the BJP. Like the BJP, he also believe in 'nation first'. Captain supported increasing the area of operation for BSF along borders, when it was opposed by others. It will strengthen unity.”
"The state should be handled sensitively. It's a historic step. It will give direction to the polity," Rijiju said.
Singh, too, aligned his political comment with BJP's stance on nationalism.
"I have been in politics for 52 years. Ours is a border state. Our relation with Pakistan has deteriorated. We had three wars. The animosity has grown. I have been bringing to the knowledge of the PM and the HM about new development of drone entering the state with drugs, weapons and money,” he said.
"It is our duty to protect our state and country," Singh added.
He attacked the Congress for not doing enough for enhancing country's security and delay in defence procurement when A.K. Antony was the defence minister.
Asked if his wife, too, would join the BJP, Singh said it was not necessary that wife would do same as the husband.
Singh's entry will give the BJP its own Sikh leaders which it lacked in the past. The party had to rely on its former ally Akali Dal.
