Leaving Congress but not joining BJP: Amarinder Singh
New Delhi(PTI): Scotching speculation, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday made it clear that he was not joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but said he had no intention of continuing in the Congress, which he said was going downhill with senior leaders being completely ignored.
Singh said he would leave the Congress as he had been "utterly humiliated" and was not trusted.
I will resign will not stay in the Congress party, he said, adding that he was still thinking through his options in the interest of Punjab, whose security was the predominant priority for him.
Singh had resigned as chief minister on September 18 after accusing the Congress of humiliating him.
I will not be treated in this humiliating manner I will not take such insults, he said, adding that his principles and beliefs do not allow him to stay in the Congress any longer.
Terming the senior Congressmen as thinkers who were critical about the future of the party, the former chief minister said the younger leadership should be promoted to implement the plans, which the senior leaders are best equipped to formulate.
"Unfortunately, the seniors were being completely sidelined," he said in a statement.
Singh said this was not good for the party.
Slamming Navjot Singh Sidhu, Singh said he was a mere crowd-puller and does not know how to carry the team along.
Singh also condemned the attack on Kapil Sibal's house by Congress workers only because he had chosen to express views that were not palatable to the party leadership.
Expressing the hope that Punjab would vote for the future of the state, he said his experience showed that the people of the state tend to vote for a single party/force, irrespective of the number of parties in the fray.
Misgovernance in Punjab would give Pakistan an opportunity to create trouble in the state and in the country, he said, adding that his meeting with NSA Ajit Doval this morning centred around this issue.
Singh had raised security concerns with Home Minister Amit Shah too, along with the farmers' issue, during his meeting with the latter on Wednesday.
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Vijay unable to prove majority, not invited for CM oath ceremony: Sources
Chennai: Actor-politician Vijay has reportedly not been invited to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after failing to demonstrate support from the required number of MLAs, sources in Raj Bhavan said.
According to media reports that quoted sources in the office of R.N. Ravi Arlekar, Vijay could not prove the backing of 118 legislators, the majority mark in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Despite last-minute efforts to secure support from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK), and an IUML legislator, Vijay reportedly managed support from only 116 MLAs, falling short by two members.
Sources said Vijay failed to submit letters of support from the VCK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Later, the IUML issued a statement clarifying that it was not part of the TVK-led alliance.
Meanwhile, AMMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran is also said to have informed the Governor that his party would support the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) instead.
Earlier in the evening, Vijay had met Governor Arlekar and staked claim to form the government, stating that he enjoyed the support of 118 MLAs.
