New Delhi (IANS): Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in presence of Union ministers Narendra Tomar and Kiren Rijiju.

Among those present included senior leaders Ashwani Sharma and Sunil Jakhar.

Besides Amarinder Singh, others who joined the BJP included former Deputy Speaker Ajaib Singh Bhatti, former MPs Amrik Singh Aliwal and Kewal Singh, former MLAs Prem Mittal, Harchand Kaur, Harjinder Thekedar and Balbir Rani Sodhi, former Punjab Mahila Congress President Raninder Singh, Beeba Jaya Inder Kaur, Nirvan Singh, Kamaljit Saino, and Farzana Alam, who was represented by her daughter.

Earlier, Amarinder Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J.P. Nadda.

Welcoming Amarinder Singh and others into the party, Tomar said he had always kept national interests above partisan interests. He said with his joining the party, the BJP will be strengthened further in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Shah and BJP Chief Nadda for reposing trust and confidence in him.

He assured them that he will give in his best to strengthen the party in Punjab.

Amarinder Singh left the Congress last year after resigning as the Chief Minister.

He set up his own political outfit, the Punjab Lok Congress, which fought the February 2022 Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP. However, it did not win any seat.