Captain Amarinder Singh raises farmers' issue in meeting with HM Shah; will he join BJP?

Captain Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his Delhi residence on Wednesday, giving rise to speculations about his next political move after quitting as the Punjab Chief Minister. During the meeting that lasted for almost an hour, Captain also discussed the issue of farmers’ protest and appealed to the Home Minister to resolve the crisis urgently.

The former CM's took to Twitter to inform that he raised the prolonged farmers’ agitation against agriculture law during his meeting with Shah and asked him to repeal the contentious laws, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification. 

Thousands of farmers from across the country have been agitating in and around the national capital against the three farm laws that they claim will do away with the minimum support price system and leave them at the mercy of big corporations. Over 10 rounds of talks with the government, which has been projecting the laws at major agricultural reforms, have failed to break the deadlock between the two sides.

During his tenure as the Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh has, on several occasions demanded the repeal of the laws besides supporting the farmers' agitation. However, the farmers' issue may not be the only agenda of the meeting held between the former BJP President and the senior Congress leader. 

Amarinder Singh 'keeping all options open'

A source close to Captain Amarinder has told Republic Media Network said the ex-CM has kept all his options open. He has neither ruled out forming his own party nor joining the BJP. 

Miffed by PPCC Chief Navjot Sidhu's constant attacks on his government, 79-year-old Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as the Punjab CM earlier this month, after 4.5 years of service. In a stunning twist, Sidhu later resigned as PPCC chief after tearing the Congress apart in Punjab.

Meanwhile, in a bold prediction, SAD leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal told Republic TV that there is a 'big buzz' about Captain Amarinder Singh being appointed as the Agriculture Minister in the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

He added that a seasoned politician like Captain, who was 'thrown out of office', always weighs his options and finds a way. Grewal said the former Punjab Chief Minister is looking to rehabilitate himself and maintain a balance in the 2022 elections.