Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Upkar Singh Sandhu, who contested the 2017 Lok Sabha bypoll from Amritsar as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, on Sunday joined the Congress.
He was inducted into the party fold in the presence of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh and Congress MLA from Amritsar (south) Inderbir Singh Bolaria in Chandigarh.
Sandhu, who finished at the third place in the Amritsar bypoll which was won by Congress’ Gurjit Singh Aujla, remained in the AAP for a few months. The AAP terminated him in May 2017 from party membership after he expressed resentment over Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann’s appointment as president of the party’s state unit.
Sandhu joined the Congress along with another Akali leader Amritpal Singh Bablu at the chief minister official residence.
Talking to HT, he said, “I had joined the AAP feeling that the party will bring revolution in Punjab, but what it did is known to all. On the other hand, the SAD has already hurt the Sikh community. In this scenario, I found the Congress the best party to work with.”
Prior to his stint with AAP, he remained in the SAD as its Amritsar district president. He resigned from the party in the wake of 2015 incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib across the state under the SAD-BJP regime. After a few months he had joined the Congress, but later switched over to the AAP.
{{/usCountry}}Prior to his stint with AAP, he remained in the SAD as its Amritsar district president. He resigned from the party in the wake of 2015 incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib across the state under the SAD-BJP regime. After a few months he had joined the Congress, but later switched over to the AAP.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, Sandhu is brother of slain All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) leader Harminder Singh Sandhu, who was a close aide of militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.