Captain Amarinder Singh to join BJP next week

Chandigarh, Sep 16: Former chief minister and Punjab Lok Congress chief Amarinder Singh is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party next week. Singh is also expected to merge his newly formed party with the BJP.

Amarinder likely to leave for New Delhi on September 18. He had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah amid buzz that he is likely to get a key role in the BJP after joining it.

After his meeting with Shah on September 12, Singh said he held a very productive discussion on various issues related to national security, rising cases of narco-terrorism in Punjab and the future roadmap for the state's overall holistic development.

Capt Amarinder Singh had floated the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) last year after quitting the Congress following his unceremonious exit as chief minister.

Seven former MLAs and one former MP, who joined the PLC, will be among those to follow Singh on Monday, PLC spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal told PTI over phone.

Other office bearers and district presidents of the PLC will join the BJP in a separate event in Chandigarh next week.

The Amarinder Singh's party contested Punjab elections in alliance with the BJP and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyuk). However, failed to garner votes.