Punjab: Another setback for Congress, 6 leaders join BJP in Chandigarh

Congress leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Kewal S Dhillon, Sunder Sham Arora and Kamaljeet S Dhillon joined BJP in Chandigarh today.

New Delhi: In a big setback for Punjab Congress, former ministers and key leaders joined the BJP in Chandigarh on Saturday (June 4). As per ANI, Congress leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Kewal S Dhillon, Sunder Sham Arora, Kamaljeet S Dhillon switched to the saffron camp today after meeting BJP’s Sunil Jakhar and Manjinder Singh Sirsa. Besides, Punjab Congress leaders, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh and Sarup Chand Singla, along with Mohali mayor Amarjeet S Sidhu also joined BJP at the party office.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is in  Chandigarh, arrived at the BJP office after the induction of several Congress and SAD leaders into the party. 

Former Punjab ministers switch to BJP

Three-time MLA and prominent Dalit leader from Punjab's Majha region Raj Kumar Verka was the minister for social justice and empowerment and minorities in the previous Congress government. Balbir Singh Sidhu, a three-time MLA from Mohali, served as the Punjab health minister in the previous Congress government and Gurpreet Singh Kangar, a three-time MLA from Rampura Phul, was the revenue minister.

Sunder Sham Arora, ex-MLA from Hoshiarpur, was the Industry and Commerce minister in the former Punjab government-led by Congress. In the recently-concluded Punjab Assembly elections, where Congress witnessed drubbing, all these former ministers had also lost their seats. 

This jolt for the party comes after former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar joined the BJP on May 19, a few days after he had announced his resignation from the grand old party on Facebook Live. He was inducted into the saffron camp in the presence of BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi.