Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, who had to resign from the Government in the wake of the Iraqi food-for-oil scam, on Wednesday announced his resignation from the Congress, but parried questions on whether he planned to join the BJP. He made the announcement in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia at a BJP-sponsored Jat rally to mark the 300th birth anniversary of Maharaja Suraj Mal Jat of Bharatpur in Vidyadhar Nagar, 20 km from here, and soon after launched a blistering attack on Sonia Gandhi.

Both Natwar Singh and his son, and expelled Congress MLA Jagat Singh, attended the rally. Over one lakh Jats from across the state had gathered here for the rally.

Taking a dig at Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Natwar Singh announced, “A foreigner can never understand the sentiments of love, respect and sacrifice.” He also announced that he would get Rs 1 crore sanctioned for the construction of an auditorium in the memory of Suraj Mal.

“Wait and see” was all that he said on whether he would join the BJP or whether he expects to get a BJP seat to Parliament as his term in Rajya Sabha is coming to an end in April. Singh, suspended from the Congress and facing a petition for his disqualification from Rajya Sabha, quit the Manmohan Singh Government after the Volcker Committee findings in the UN oil-for-food scam in which he and his son were named as beneficiaries.

To a question on why he took this step “so late”, Singh said, “this is the first step I have taken after considering a lot of aspects”. He said the Congress was not the same as it was during the period of Nehru and Indira Gandhi. “Sonia Gandhi is going to ruin the party. The Congress has lost many elections, including that in Gujarat.