Sunil Jakhar joins BJP, slams Congress

Just a few days after resigning from the Congress, the former Punjab chief of the party, Sunil Jakhar, joined the BJP in the presence of the party's national president JP Nadda in New Delhi on Thursday. Expressing sorrow over breaking ties with Congress, which he called "family", he said he was sidelined because he pointed out that the party can't treat Punjab in percentages and divide people over caste. "You can remove Sunil Jakhar from a party post but can't silence him," he said while on stage with Nadda. "It’s important for nationalist forces to come together in Punjab, to strengthen Punjab," JP Nadda said while welcoming Jakhar to the BJP.

Jakhar said that he quit Congress, not because of any personal dispute, but "fundamental issues" with the party. There is an element of casteism in the Congress, but BJP has equality for all, he said. He also blamed Congress MP Ambika Soni’s statement on the “repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab” for the party’s drubbing in the state assembly polls earlier this year. A three-time MLA and one-time MP, Jakhar said he was heartbroken at being removed from all party posts by the Congress disciplinary committee following allegations of anti-party activities against him by certain Punjab unit leaders.

Amarinder Singh, the former Congress chief minister of Punjab, hailed Sunil Jakhar -- the man who led the party's state unit during his tenure -- as he crossed over to the BJP. "Right man in the right party. Congratulations to @sunilkjakhar for joining @BJP4India. Honest and upright leaders like him cannot breathe in the @INCIndia anymore," tweeted  Singh.