Ahead of next year Punjab Assembly polls, more leaders from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress have joined BJP on Wednesday.
Leaders who joined the BJP are Jagdeep Singh Nakai, Ravipreet Singh Sidhu and Harbhag Singh Desu from SAD and former Congress MLA Shamsher Singh Rai. These leaders joined BJP in presence of union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Som Prakash, party national general secretary and Punjab in-charge Dushyant Gautam, chief spokesperson Anil Baluni at party headquarters here.
"The way eminent personalities, elected representatives and influential people from different walks of life joining BJP shows the way wind is blowing in Punjab, " Shekhawat said.
Shekhawat pointed out that yesterday two sitting MLAs had joined along with others.
"One of oldest names in Punjab politics with long association with SAD, former MLA Nakai is joining BJP. Young face of Punjab, who worked at different positions in SAD Sidhu is also joining BJP today. Former Congress MLA Rai and a prominent OBC leader Desu also joined us, Shekhawat, BJP election in-charge of Punjab said.
Shekhawat further said that joining these leaders will strengthen the party and help in building a new Punjab. On Tuesday, former Indian cricketer Dinesh Mongia joined BJP. Two Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi, Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa and 13 others also joined the BJP along with cricketer Mongia.
The BJP has on Monday announced an alliance with former chief minister Amarinder Singh's Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) to jointly contest the Punjab assembly polls.
Punjab election will be held in February -March next year along with the Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. Earlier after its alliance broke up with its oldest alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the BJP has announced to contest all the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab.
In 2017, BJP won three seats out of 23 it contested.