Punjab Polls: Party hopper MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi back with BJP

Balwinder Singh Laddi along with Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, sitting MLA of Congress from the Qadian assembly defected the party to join BJP.

New Delhi: Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi from Sri Hargobindpur constituency of Gurdaspur district shifted loyalty to BJP and then again come back to Congress but only to go back to the saffron party within a period of fewer than two months. 

On December 28, 2021, the sitting MLA from Sri Hargobindpur Balwinder Singh Laddi along with the Fatehjang Singh Bajwa, sitting  MLA of Congress from the Qadian assembly defected the party to join BJP.  

Fatehjang Bajwa is the younger brother of Member Parliament Partap Singh Bajwa. Fatehjang Singh is now BJP’s candidate from the Batala assembly constituency. 

However, Laddi, who is back with BJP says he never went for any ‘post’ but his motive was to serve the people of his constituency, develop infrastructure and ensure the development of Punjab. 

After shifting loyalty to BJP in December last year, Laddi decided to take a U-turn and joined back the Congress party on January 3, 2021, but only to go back to the saffron party on February 11. 

Laddi had begun his career in rural politics when he became the sarpanch of village Shahbpura near Batala. He was also appointed a member of Zila Parishad. 

 In the year 2012, Laddi contested assembly elections on the Congress party’s ticket but couldn’t win.  Again in the 2017 assembly elections, Laddi once again contested the assembly elections and won with a margin of 18065 votes by defeating SAD(B) candidate Manjit Singh. 

It would be naive to believe that Laddi’s flip flop was without any reason especially after he was dropped by the Congress party and a lesser know face Mandeep Singh Rangar Nangal was nominated as the party’s official candidate. Mandeep Singh is believed to be a close confidant of Punjab cabinet minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa. 

While talking to the media, Laddi admitted that he was assured to be the Congress party’s candidate from Sri Hargobindpur but he was flabbergasted when the name of Mandeep Singh was announced. And about his flip flop, he reasoned that he had joined BJP for the betterment of Punjab but later he realized that it was a miscalculated move and went back to Congress .”

But now I feel, BJP is the only party that can ensure the revival of Punjab and can develop it” said Laddi.

But changing loyalty by a sitting MLA has only confused the electoral of Sri Hargobindpur who feel cheated by their representative.