New party will be announced once EC clears name, symbol, says ex-Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, who is set to launch his new political party, said on Wednesday that he has applied for a party name and a symbol, and an announcement will be made after the Election Commission’s approval. Singh had last week said he would soon launch his own party, and that he was hopeful of a seat adjustment with the BJP provided the ongoing farmers’ stir against farm laws was resolved in their interest. “I am forming a party. But I can’t tell you the name right now. When the Election Commission approves a name and symbol, only then I can tell you. Let’s wait for the EC to approve,” he said addressing a press conference here. “We have made a request for a symbol and a name for the party,” he added. Punjab goes to the polls early next year. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, with whom Amarinder Singh had been at loggerheads, again launched an attack on the former CM. “We, the 78 MLAs of Congress, could never imagine, what we received an arm-twisted, ED controlled BJP loyal Chief Minister of Punjab @ capt-amarinder who sold the interests of Punjab to save his skin! You were the negative force stalling justice & development of Punjab,” Sidhu tweeted. Amarinder Singh, who faced an unceremonious exit from the state government last month, had also said that he was looking at alliances with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups and he reiterated this in a press conference. The two-time chief minister had earlier added that he would not rest till he secures the future of my people and my state. Amarinder Singh had resigned as the Punjab chief minister last month amid a bitter power tussle with Punjab Congress chief Sidhu. After resigning, he had said that he felt “humiliated”. Congress replaced Amarinder Singh with Charanjit Singh Channi. Amarinder Singh had also dubbed Sidhu “anti-national” and “dangerous”, saying he would pit a strong candidate against the state party chief in the upcoming assembly polls. He had last month met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and had discussed the prolonged farmers’ stir with him while urging him to resolve the crisis urgently with the repeal of the three farm laws.