Former Batala MLA Sekhri joins BJP after meeting Shah
Former Punjab Congress MLA Ashwani Sekhri joined the BJP on Sunday. Sekhri has represented the Batala assembly constituency thrice in 1985, 2002 and 2012
Former Punjab Congress MLA Ashwani Sekhri joined the BJP on Sunday. Sekhri has represented the Batala assembly constituency thrice in 1985, 2002 and 2012. He was also the AICC secretary in-charge of Gujarat from 1985 to 2022. In the 2022 assembly polls as well, Sekhri unsuccessfully contested from the Batala seat. Sekhri joined the BJP after meeting Union home minister Amit Shah at his official residence.
A prominent Hindu face of the Congress in the Majha region, Sekhri was miffed with the party state unit and claimed that he was feeling ignored in the present dispensation of the state Congress led by PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring.
His equation with the former Congress minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa was also good.
After joining the BJP, Sekhri said the Congress has become a disillusioned party whereas the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped the country achieve new heights of development.
Sekhri said in his meeting with the home minister, he raised various issues of the border areas and apprised Shah that the border districts of Punjab need immediate attention from the Union government as far as the development and security of the region is concerned.
Sekhri claimed that many big shots of the Congress party are ready to join BJP in the coming days. “Only BJP can provide stability and security to Punjab. I will soon hold a press conference with new Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar,” he said.
Sekhri served as chairman, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, during the previous Congress government and at one point of time in 2021, reports had emerged that he was about to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
In Punjab Congress, Sekhri is considered the right-hand man of former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Sidhu and his joining the BJP is a setback to Sidhu’s camp as well.
Cong leaders demand Sekhri’s expulsion
Chandigarh Punjab Congress leaders on Sunday demanded the expulsion of former minister Ashwani Sekhri from the Congress for his alleged anti-party activities and remarks against party leaders. The demand was made by former minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Gurdaspur MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, former minister Brahm Mohindra, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) deputy leader Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, and PPCC working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu in a joint statement.
Lashing out at Sekhri, the state unit leaders said that he was the AICC secretary in-charge of Gujarat from 1985 to 2022 and the party gave him the highest positions and responsibilities, but he backstabbed the party. “Such disloyal leaders must not be given a second chance to do damage to the party,” Ashu said in a statement.
Chabbewal alleged that Sekhri was given several chances, but he had been working against the party in Gujarat and elsewhere. “His expulsion is long overdue and it is high time now that the high command takes the necessary step to ensure that he is no longer able to damage the party,” he added.
