New Delhi: Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in presence of party president J.P. Nadda in the national capital on Thursday. Jakhar after joining the BJP said that three generations of his family served the Congress Party over the last 50 years. “Today, I have broken the 50-year-old tie with Congress over issues of nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab,” said Jakhar, ANI reported.
The BJP president welcomed the “experienced” Jakhar and expressed confidence that he would play a big role in strengthening the party in Punjab.
“I welcome Sunil Jakhar to Bharatiya Janata Party. He is an experienced political leader who made a name for himself during his political career. I am confident he will play a big role in strengthening the party in Punjab,” said Nadda, according to the news agency.
Jakhar had quit the grand old party last week after taking potshots at former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
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Jakhar, a former Lok Sabha member, said that Channi was “not an asset” as portrayed by the party leadership, PTI reported.
He was removed from all party posts by the Congress disciplinary committee following allegations of anti-party activities by certain Punjab unit leaders against him.
Jakhar also lashed out at Congress leader Ambika Soni for her statement on the “repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab”.
He held Soni’s statement as one of the reasons for the Congress’ drubbing in the Punjab Assembly elections earlier this year.