In a major setback to the Punjab Congress, four of its former ministers Dr Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Sunder Sham Arora joined the BJP in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah at the party headquarters in Chandigarh on Saturday.
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Former Congress MLA from Barnala Kewal Singh Dhillon and former Shiromani Akali Dal MLAs Sarup Chand Singla and Mohinder Kaur Josh also joined the BJP.
Shah welcomed into the party fold in the presence of Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Som Parkash, state unit chief Ashwani Sharma, and senior party leaders Dushyant Gautam, Tarun Chugh, Sunil Jakhar and Manjinder Singh Sirsa .
Balbir Sidhu, a three-time MLA from Mohali, was the health minister in the previous Congress government, while Gurpreet Kangar, a three-time MLA from Rampura Phul, was the revenue minister.
Verka, a prominent Dalit leader from the Majha region, is also a three-time legislator and was the minister for social justice and empowerment and minorities in the previous government.
{{/usCountry}}Verka, a prominent Dalit leader from the Majha region, is also a three-time legislator and was the minister for social justice and empowerment and minorities in the previous government.
{{/usCountry}}Sunder Sham Arora, a former MLA from Hoshiarpur, was the industry and commerce minister in the previous Congress government.
Balbir Sidhu’s brother Amarjit Singh Sidhu, who is the mayor of Mohali corporation, also joined the BJP.
Union home minister Amit Shah arrived in Chandigarh on Saturday afternoon for a meeting with party leaders before he headed to inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games in neighbouring Haryana’s Panchkula town.
The induction of the four senior leaders of the Punjab Congress into the BJP is being seen as a big shot in the arm for the saffron party as they are grassroots leaders with a strong connect with workers.
Jakhar will be hosting Shah for dinner at his Panchkula residence.