Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said that he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the ongoing farmers' agitation and urged him to resolve the crisis by immediately repealing the three farm laws.
The meeting came amid fresh turmoil in Punjab Congress with the sudden resignation of state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and led to speculation that the Congress leader may be warming up to the BJP.
Amarinder Singh had resigned as Chief Minister on September 18 and had told the media that the Congress leadership had let him down. He had also taken a dig at Sidhu over his resignation, saying he is not a stable man.
The meeting took place amid efforts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to make the contest in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state wide open.
Amarinder Singh said he had urged Amit Shah to guarantee minimum support price to farmers and support Punjab in crop diversification.
"Met Union Home Minister @AmitShah ji in Delhi. Discussed the prolonged farmers agitation against FarmLaws & urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with repeal of the laws & guarantee MSP, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification. #NoFarmersNoFood," Amarinder Singh said.
The BJP faces a formidable political challenge in the state from ruling Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and SAD-BSP combine. Shiromani Akali Dal was a trusted partner of BJP in Punjab but parted ways over its opposition to farm laws.
If Amarinder Singh joins the BJP, the political equations in the state will change and will give the party an advantage in assembly polls.
From being seen as a "non-contender" in the power equations, the BJP is looking to emerge as a formidable contestant in Punjab assembly polls.
( With inputs from ANI )
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