Chandigarh : Lok Sabha MP from Patiala and suspended Congress leader Preneet Kaur joined the BJP in the national capital on Thursday, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the work done by his government in the last 10 years.
A four-time Congress MP and former Union minister of state, Preneet joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP’s national general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and state party affairs in-charge Vijay Rupani.
She also advocated for the SAD-BJP alliance and said if both parties come together, it will be in favour of Punjab.
Preneet was suspended from the Congress in February last year soon after her husband, former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, joined the BJP.
Soon after coming into the saffron fold, Preneet met BJP national chief JP Nadda.
Addressing a press conference later, the Patiala MP showered praises on the PM for his policies and development works carried out in the country. “I am happy that I joined the BJP. Time has come when everyone should come together and look at the works of PM Modi and his policies, such as the Viksit Bharat programme. I have full confidence that under the leadership of PM Modi, we will be able to keep our country safe and take it forward,” she said.
Preneet was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from Patiala in 1999 and was re-elected in 2004, 2009 and 2019. She remained MLA from Patiala Urban once on the seat vacated by her husband Capt Amarinder Singh when he was elected to Lok Sabha from Amritsar by defeating senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley in the 2014 general elections.
{{/usCountry}}Preneet was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from Patiala in 1999 and was re-elected in 2004, 2009 and 2019. She remained MLA from Patiala Urban once on the seat vacated by her husband Capt Amarinder Singh when he was elected to Lok Sabha from Amritsar by defeating senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley in the 2014 general elections.
{{/usCountry}}Minutes before joining the BJP, Preneet sent a one-line resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying: “I hereby tender my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress with immediate effect.”
BJP leader Vinod Tawde said that the inclusion of leaders like Preenet in the party would make it stronger in Punjab.
“Preneet Kaur is a parliamentarian who has proved her potential by working on important posts and a Union minister. When such people come to the BJP, especially in Punjab, it makes us strong. The BJP is emerging in the mind of a common Punjabi,” he said.
“Congratulations on joining the BJP today. Your zeal for public welfare is known to all and I am sure you will continue striving for the development of Punjab and the country under the able leadership of Hon’ble PM, Amit Shah ji and Nadda ji,” said Amarinder.