Former Indian Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh says he will leave Congress but won't join BJP: Report!

New Delhi:  Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said he won't be staying with the Congress, but dismissed speculations of joining the BJP, a day after he met Union home minister Amit Shah at Shah's residence in New Delhi. The former Punjab chief minister was speaking to NDTV exclusively as he said, "So far, I am in the Congress but I will not remain in the Congress. I will not be treated in this manner."

Amarinder Singh's media advisor Raveen Thukral also tweeted the interview clippings on his social media handle. On the question of floating a new party, Amarinder Singh said time will tell what will happen. "So you are neither in Congress nor in BJP?" Amarinder Singh was asked. "I have not resigned from the Congress yet but I will resign. I am not one of those who decide on a split second. One has to think of various pros and cons before making a decision. But I can tell you I am not going to stay with the Congress. I am not going to join BJP also," Amarinder Singh said.

This is the first time that Amarinder Singh talked about leaving the party. His resignation from the post of Punjab chief minister with a few months left for the election was bitter as he said how insulted and humiliated he felt by the treatment of the party high command. However, he never specifically spoke of leaving the party, though he had said he would oppose Navjot Sidhu as the chief minister by fielding a strong candidate against him.

Amid speculations of Amarinder Singh's next political move, the Captain met Union home minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday. Later, Amarinder Singh said that he urged Amit Shah to repeal the three contentious farm laws.

On Thursday, Amarinder Singh met national security advisor Ajit Doval possibly to discuss the security issues of Punjab, the bordering state. Earlier, Amarinder Singh had said Navjot Singh Sidhu is a threat to India's national security because of his closeness with Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Amarinder Singh's association with the Congress goes a long way as he was brought into the party by the late Rajiv Gandhi. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 and resigned from the Congress as a protest during Operation Blue Star. He had formed a splinter group breaking away from the Akali Dal and his outfit merged with the Congress in 1998.

After resigning from the chief minister's post, Amarinder Singh often talked about his connection with the Congress and said Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are like his children and they are being misled regarding Punjab.