Punjab elections: Two Congress MLAs Fateh Jung Bajwa, Laddi join BJP

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had strongly backed the candidature of both the Qadian and Shri Hargobindpur MLAs at rallies held last week

In a jolt to the Punjab Congress, two of its sitting MLAs Fateh Jung Bajwa from Qadian and Balwinder Singh Laddi from Shri Hargobindpur joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Qadian Congress MLA Fateh Jung Bajwa (left) campaigning with Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu at a rally in his constituency on December 2. Bajwa joined the BJP on Tuesday along with Shri Hargobindpur MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi. (HT file photo)

Fateh Jung is the brother of former Punjab Congress chief and Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa. Laddi also belongs to the Bajwa camp.

Both joined the BJP in the presence of the party’s Punjab election in-charge and Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Interestingly, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had strongly backed the candidature of both these MLAs at political rallies held last week.

Fateh Jung was upset after elder brother Partap’s announcement of contesting the assembly elections from Qadian. It was amid this tussle with Partap that Sidhu had backed Fateh Jung’s candidature. Both Fateh Jung and Laddi are first-time MLAs.

Former cricketer Dinesh Mongia and three-time Shiromani Akali Dal MLA from Baluana Gurtej Singh Gudhiyana were inducted into the BJP ahead of the assembly elections.

Former Sangrur MP Rajdev Khalsa, United Christian Front Punjab president Kamal Bakshi, Nihal Singh Wala municipal corporation member Jagdeep Singh Dhaliwal and retired ADC and advocate in the Punjab and Haryana high court Madhumeet also joined the BJP.