New Delhi, Oct 20 (UNI) A day after Captain Amarinder Singh announced floating his own party, BJP's incharge for Punjab Dushyant Gautam said on Wednesday any decision on alliance would be taken after Singh's party is formed, even as he said the party is open to join hands with those who are 'nationalist'.
Gautam told UNI the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is happy to ally with anyone who is a 'nationalist', and called it a battle between nationalism and dynasticism. His comments came after the former Punjab chief minister announced that he will float his own party and forge alliance with BJP and other like-minded parties like breakaway Akali groups, particularly Dhindsa and Brahmpura factions.
"BJP does not do politics to form governments, we practice politics to serve the public. Amarinder Singh has said he will form a party, anyone can start a political party as per the constitution," Gautam told UNI.
"He said he will ally with us... we will think about an alliance only after his party is formed. People from both parties would sit and discuss. We have our own conditions, we are nationalists, whoever wants to ally with us under the banner of nationalism is welcome," he said.
"...When he forms the party, we will sit together and talk. We have a parliamentary board where they will discuss everything," he said.
Gautam said today the nation is divided between the 'nationalists' and the 'dynasts', indicating towards the Nehru-Gandhi family.
"On one hand there is nationalism, on the other hand there is dynastic politics, there is difference between the two. Anyone who loves the country, helps us in strengthening the border and internal security, is welcome," he said.
"Today there is polarisation, on one hand there are nationalistic powers, on the other hand there are those who side with the dynasts. They are indulging in international conspiracy to save the family. They sit with Pakistan and say we have to remove Modiji, sometimes they become heroes on Pakistani and Chinese TV channels, they do it to save the family. On the other hand our workers die for the country," he said.
Singh announced on Wednesday he would launch his own party and said he is hopeful of a seat arrangement with BJP in the Punjab polls "if farmers' protest is resolved in farmers’ interest". Asked about the farmers' protests, Gautam said the government would resolve it.
"We are sitting here to resolve the farmers' issue. We have already held 11 meetings, we will hold another one... Who thinks about farmers more than us? We are buying at MSP, we have given Kisan credit cards, PM Samman Nidhi... Can anyone care about farmers more than us?" he said.
"We are getting most farmers' votes today, these so called politically mobilised farmers that you see, who chop off the hands of Dalits, women are raped and murdered... Such people are sitting in the shadow of farmers' movement," he said slamming the agitation that has been going on for over a year now against new farm laws brought by the union government.
UNI AO SHK2032