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New Delhi: Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar on Thursday formally joined the BJP, days after he quit the grand old party. He was inducted into the saffron party fold in the presence of BJP president JP Nadda in the national capital.

Former Punjab Congress Chief Sunil Jakhar joins Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of party president JP Nadda in Delhi pic.twitter.com/eoUHhHH1Ul

— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2022

Welcoming him to the party, Nadda said, “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.”

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: BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi pic.twitter.com/SqJFjIMS8T

— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2022

Speaking in his turn, Jakhar revealed that he was “sidelined” because he pointed out that the party can’t treat Punjab in percentages and divide people over caste.

“I had a 50-year-old relationship with Congress, my family has been with the party for three generations since 1972. I considered it family,” he said, claiming that he quit Congress, not because of any personal dispute, but “fundamental issues” with the party.

Jakhar had quit the Congress last week after lashing out at former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Twitter, saying that he was “not an asset” as portrayed by the party leadership.

A former Lok Sabha member, Jakhar was removed from all party posts by the Congress disciplinary committee following allegations of anti-party activities by certain Punjab unit leaders against him.

He also lashed out at veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni for her statement on the “repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab”. Jakhar also held Soni’s statement as one of the reasons for the Congress’ drubbing in the Punjab assembly polls earlier this year.

If BJP sources are to be believed, then Sunil Jakhar might be sent to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.

A day after resigning from the Congress party, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Hardik Patel slammed the grand old party and called it casteist. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday here, Hardik Patel levelled a series of allegations against the Congress and its leaders. Calling the party casteist, he said it never had vision for the development of Gujarat, on the contrary its party leaders are full of negativity. Without naming any senior leaders, Patel alleged that only eight to ten leaders control the party and they are misleading the national leadership.

Citing examples of the late Chiman Patel, Narhari Ami and Vitthal Radadiya, Hardil Patel said injustice was done to them just because they were patidars. He also alleged that Congress leaders believe in dividing Patel`s Leuva and Kadva sub groups.

He also alleged that one family controls the state unit of the Congress party for the last 12 years, though he did not name it, but hinted towards Madhavsinh Solanki, whose son Bharatsinh Solanki was made GPCC president twice in the last one decade, then his cousin Amit Chavda was made state unit president.

Hardik Patel said state Congress leaders do not have guts, spine and fighting spirit to take on the BJP. He questioned how can such a party take up people`s issues, fight for them and get justice. According to Hardik, state congress leaders are more interested in keeping Rahul Gandhi happy by arranging diet coke or Chicken Sandwich for him.

He said, he realized that he wasted three years of his career by joining the Congress. He appealed to the people not to vote for the Congress as the party is not interested in serving the people. He said after state elections in 2022, the Congress may not be visible on opposition benches, and people may try some other option.

He said he believes that there should be strong opposition in the country or the state, but according to him, Congress does not deserve that status. Hardik Patel also endorsed the `Congress Mukt Bharat`. Hardik Patel has started playing Hindu card for the last one month, but at the same time claimed that his belief about Hinduism is not for show off. “I am born a Hindu and believer of Hinduism. But Congress does speak out its policy on finding Shivling in Gyanvapi mosque.”

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