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Day after expulsion from SAD, Bagga joins AAP
Bagga said he was unconditionally embracing the AAP, as the rising prices of fuel, electricity and essential commodities were affecting the common man. Leader of opposition in Punjab assembly, Harpal Singh Cheema said more senior leaders from SAD and Congress party, “who could relate with AAP’s vision of serving the people” were in talks with the party and are likely to switch sides in the coming days.
A day after being expelled from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for a period of six years, Chaudhary Madan Lal Bagga joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday, in the presence of AAP’s Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha, leader of opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, and AAP MLA from Jagraon, Saravjit Kaur Manuke.
During the induction ceremony at a local marriage palace near Jalandhar Bypass, Chadha targeted the Congress government for being caught up in infighting and forgetting about people’s concerns.
Welcoming the former SAD leader and his associates on behalf of party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, Chadha said Bagga’s entry had made the AAP stronger in Ludhiana as well the state.
Meanwhile, Cheema reiterated that some more senior leaders from SAD and Congress party, “who could relate with AAP’s vision of serving the people” were in talks with the party and are likely to switch sides in the coming days.
Bagga said he was unconditionally embracing the AAP, as the rising prices of fuel, electricity and essential commodities were affecting the common man.
‘Will not condemn SAD’
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the function, Bagga said he will not condemn the Akali leadership and party just because he has joined AAP. “Earlier, SAD was in alliance with the BJP and now it is in alliance with the BSP. There is no platform where I could serve the residents. So I have decided to bid adieu to Akali Dal and join the AAP,” said Bagga.
It may be recalled that Bagga, who was aspiring for a SAD ticket from Ludhiana North constituency in the 2022 assembly elections, was left high and dry when the party reserved the seat for a BSP candidate after brokering an alliance. It is for the second time that Bagga has quit SAD. Earlier in 2017, he had resigned from the party and contested as an independent after SAD got into an alliance with BJP and reserved the seat that he had his eyes on, for a saffron party candidate.
