Punjab polls: Several leaders, including former state ministers, MPs & MLAs to join BJP

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, around 15 to 20 people are likely to join the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) soon, reported news agency ANI. According to sources, the ones who will join the saffron party's camp in the poll-bound state include former State Cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs as well as Punjabi singers and celebrities. In addition, it is also being said that many former Punjab Cabinet ministers, singers and celebrities are already in touch with the BJP. 

Moreover, it is also being said that most of the leaders who will join were previously affiliated with the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress in the past. Sources have categorically stated that all these people, including four singers will join the BJP this week itself in Punjab.

ANI sources added that people are "angered" over several issues like drugs and terrorism in the state. In addition, they also remarked that "good people should be in power" so that the youth can benefit. 

Manjinder Singh Sirsa joins BJP ahead of Punjab elections

Earlier, senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 1. He joined the saffron party in presence of Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Welcoming Sirsa to the party fold, Dharmendra Pradhan remarked that it was a "lucky day" for the BJP. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat too had exuded confidence that with Sirsa on board, the BJP will make gains in the upcoming Assembly polls. 

"The saffron party will gain in the Punjab election with his induction," said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

"Since I have always been vocal about the cause of the Sikh community, for some of the issues I approached Home Minister Amit Shah. He took the matter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured that the issues will be solved. With my joining the party, you will see 70-year-old issues of the community getting solved very soon," said Manjinder Singh Sirsa after joining the BJP.

Punjab Assembly elections 

The Punjab Assembly polls will be held in 2022. In the 2017 Assembly polls, the Congress won an absolute majority thereby defeating the SAD-BJP government after a decade. Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged as the second-largest party bagging 20 seats in the 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The SAD managed to win 15 seats while its then ally BJP won just 3 seats.

Ahead of the upcoming elections, the state has witnessed high-octane political drama and a changed political scenario after former CM Captain Amarinder Singh left the Congress after months of infighting with Navjot Singh Sidhu. Singh has floated his new political party - Punjab Lok Congress and has decided to ally with the BJP.