Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh joined BJP today. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar and Kiren Rijiju got Captain to join the party at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Along with the Captain, more than half a dozen of his old colleagues also joined the BJP. Captain also merged his 'Punjab Lok Congress' (PLC) party with the BJP.
With Captain Amarinder Singh joining BJP, the party does not seem to be getting any big advantage. With this, Captain Amarinder Singh will get a new chance to make a comeback. On this day last year, Captain had to resign from the post of Chief Minister, and this year on the same day he decided to join the BJP. The way Captain was discarded from the Congress and stepped down from the post of Chief Minister, made a difference in his political career, however, later, Captain formed his own party in the Punjab Assembly elections and formed an alliance with the BJP, and contested the elections.
But he was defeated in his own stronghold i.e. Patiala. BJP is trying to establish itself in Punjab, however, with the arrival of Captain, it will only benefit that a big face will come to BJP at the national level, a Sikh face. But before this, a Sikh face equal to Captain Amarinder Singh, Sardar Iqbal Singh Lyallpura is already present in BJP. There is no lack of Sikh leaders in the BJP. It will be beneficial for the captain to join BJP so that the pending ED case against his son will be slowed down.
The only benefit to BJP from Captain's joining BJP is that he can bring Congress leaders to the BJP at the national level because he has good relations with many leaders.
BJP is busy in the preparations for the 2024 elections. The same question is whether BJP is going to get any benefit from Captain or not. It is also to be seen that due to Captain's joining BJP, the controversy has not come to the fore in the BJP.
Among those who joined the BJP with Captain are his son Yuvraj Raninder Singh, daughter Biba Jaiinder Kaur, former deputy speaker of Punjab assembly Ajaib Singh Bhatti, former state president of Punjab Mahila Congress Balbir Rana Sodhi, former MLA from Mahalkalan Harchand Kaur, Amritsar South. Apart from former MLA Harjinder Singh Contractor, Mansa's former MLA Prem Mittal, there are also Amrik Singh Aliwal and Kewal Singh.
Most of the leaders who joined the BJP with Captain belong to the Malwa area. Malwa is a rural area of Punjab where the BJP does not have a significant support base. Captain claimed that the BJP would be strong in the Malwa area with the arrival of these leaders.