Chandigarh: A day after Captain Amarinder Singh announced to launch his own political party in the run-up to Punjab Assembly Elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday reciprocated warmly to the former Chief Minister's offer for a "seat-sharing" alliance saying that the party is ready to join hands with those who put national interest first.
BJP general secretary and in-charge of its Punjab unit Dushyant Gautam, who reacted to Singh's offer, also indicated that nothing has been finalised yet as "Amarinder Singh still needs to form his party and put forward his views".
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"Amarinder Singh was once a soldier and his stand on the issues of national security should be praised. He knows about the threats to the country and how to secure it is," Gautam said.
BJP's reaction came a day after Singh said he will soon launch his political party and is hopeful of a seat arrangement with the BJP if the farmers' issue is resolved in their interest.
Responding to Singh's proposal, the BJP leader said Singh did not talk about ending the farmers' agitation.
"He talked about farmers' issues. We are committed to it and are working for the welfare of farmers. When the time comes, both will sit together and discuss farmers' issues," Gautam told news agency PTI.
Singh resigned as the chief minister of Punjab last month after a bitter feud with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and infighting in the state unit. The party replaced him with Charanjit Singh Channi.
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Further indirectly hitting out at Sidhu, BJP leader said that Amarinder Singh will not hug the Pakistan army chief to be a "hero" in the Pakistani media,
Meanwhile, reacting to Sidhu's announcement to float his party soon, Congress has said that will not affect the prospects of the party.
"It seems that he has killed the secular Amarinder within him... and how can he forgive the BJP for keeping the farmers on Delhi borders since the last one year," Congress' Punjab in-charge Harish Rawat said earlier in the day.
If sources close to news agency IANS are to be believed, the Congress leadership has asked Punjab unit to keep an eye on the movements of the rebels and to pacify them ahead of the elections and dissuade them from joining the former Chief Minister.