Amarinder Singh, family remain firmly committed to BJP: Preneet Kaur

Patiala, Dec 15 (PTI) BJP leader Preneet Kaur on Monday said her husband Amarinder Singh and their entire family remain firmly committed to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Addressing mediapersons here, Kaur, a former Union minister, said the decision to join the BJP a few years ago was taken after deep thought and deliberation, and there is no question of stepping back.

She stressed that Amarinder Singh, a former Congressman and ex-chief minister of Punjab, has already made his stand clear on multiple occasions, and the media has also reported his position regularly.

“The family is not going anywhere. We are with the BJP and will continue to remain with the BJP. Today, the stand has been made absolutely clear, and there is no room for any further discussion on this issue,” Kaur said.

Her remarks followed after Amarinder Singh recently criticised the functioning of the BJP, saying he was not being consulted by the saffron party, unlike the Congress, though he ruled out joining his former party.

In an interview with PTI Videos, the veteran politician also said it was easier to meet the Congress high command than meeting the BJP's top leadership.

The Congress, he said, used to consult its leaders and had “a more democratic system”.

Singh, however, said he still felt hurt by the manner in which he was removed as the chief minister while in the Congress.

“The question of joining the Congress does not arise,” Singh told PTI Videos.

He also praised Narendra Modi, saying the prime minister had “special affection for Punjab” and “would do anything for the state”.

Describing her husband as a seasoned politician, Kaur said the decision to join the BJP was taken keeping Punjab's larger interests in mind.

“With the support of the Centre, we believed we could do something meaningful for the people of Punjab. That decision stands firm,” Kaur, who won the Patiala Lok Sabha seat four times as a Congress nominee, said.

On possible future alignments and relations between the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal, Kaur said such decisions are not taken in haste.

She also said Singh has suggested that the BJP should explore the possibility of an electoral alliance with the Akali Dal.

Ahead of the 2027 Punjab elections, the BJP's top leadership, including Modi, Amit Shah, the party’s national president and the next national executive, will collectively deliberate on a possible electoral alliance.

She also said that a tie-up could be considered not only with the Akali Dal but also with the other Akali factions, and such decisions would be taken only at an “appropriate time”.

Assembly polls are due in Punjab in early 2027.

Kaur also clarified that her husband’s views are based on Punjab's welfare and the BJP’s broader interests, and that ideological differences between political parties are natural. PTI COR SUN VSD ARI