Punjab: Fresh trouble for Congress? Several leaders seen with BJP’s Sunil Jakhar, likely to switch

In a video shared on social media, former ministers and senior Congress leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sunder Sham Arora and Gurpreet Singh Kangar can be seen with BJP's Sunil Jakhar and Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

New Delhi: As Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Chandigarh on Saturday (June 4), a video of a few Punjab Congress leaders with BJP’s Sunil Jakhar and Manjinder Singh Sirsa has stoked speculations of them switching to the saffron party. In a video shared by ANI,  former ministers and senior Congress leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sunder Sham Arora and Gurpreet Singh Kangar can be seen with Jakhar and Sirsa. As per ANI,  Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh and Congress’ Amrik Singh Dhillon are also expected to join BJP today. 

Amit Shah will arrive in Chandigarh on Saturday to meet state BJP leaders before inaugurating the Khelo India Youth Games in Haryana's Panchkula. 

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bibi Mohinder Kaur Josh and Congress leader Amrik Singh Dhillon will also reportedly join BJP today.

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2022

Congress leaders likely to join 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, all these former ministers lost from their seats. 

As per PTI, Kewal Dhillon, former Congress MLA from Barnala, is also expected to join the BJP. Besides Congress leaders, speculations are rife that former Akali Dal MLA Sarup Chand Singla may also switch to the saffron party. 

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

(With agency inputs)