As Amit Shah visits Chandigarh, speculation rife 4 Punjab Cong leaders may join BJP

PTI, Jun 4, 2022, 3:06 PM IST

Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Chandigarh visit on Saturday, a video surfaced on social media showing four senior Congress leaders and former ministers with BJP leader Sunil Jakhar, fuelling speculation that they may join the saffron party.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who is also seen in the video, shared it on social media. Those who could be seen in the video are former ministers and senior Congress leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sunder Sham Arora and Gurpreet Singh Kangar.

Balbir Sidhu, a three-time MLA from Mohali, was the health minister in the previous Congress government while Gurpreet Kangar, who is also a three-time MLA from Rampura Phul, was revenue minister.

Verka, a prominent Dalit leader from the Majha region, is also a three-time legislator and was the minister for social justice and and empowerment and minorities in the previous government.

Sunder Sham Arora, a former MLA from Hoshiarpur, was the Industry and Commerce minister in the previous Congress government.

All the four leaders lost the 2022 state assembly polls.

Former Congress MLA from Barnala Kewal Dhillon is likely to join te BJP, sources said.

Apart from these, there was also a buzz that former Akali Dal MLA Sarup Chand Singla may also join the BJP.

Shah is arriving in Chandigarh where he will be meeting state party leaders before going to Haryana’s Panchkula to inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Games.