With the Code of Conduct now in place, the exodus of leaders and workers from Akali Dal, AAP and various other organizations into the Congress picked up further momentum on Friday with a former SAD minister’s kin and more than 300 AAP workers joining in the presence of Captain Amarinder Singh, along with a host of others.Meanwhile, the 1984 Sikh Katleyaam Action Committee announced their unconditional support to the Congress. A Committee delegation, accompanied by PPCC Secretary Santokh Singh and Kawaljit Sehgal from Patiala, met Captain Amarinder at his residence here to extend their support.Earlier, the Punjab Congress president welcomed into the party fold former Akali minister Late Ranjit Singh Balian’s wife Rajvir Kaur and son Gurjot Singh. Also present on the occasion was Deepa Singla, wife of Congress leader and ex-MP Vijay Inder Singla, who had been instrumental in bringing Balian’s family to Congress.The ex-Akali leader said he had decided to join the Congress unconditionally in the interest of Punjab’s development. The Badals had brought the state to complete ruin and only Captain Amarinder could rescue it now and put it back on the growth track.
Meanwhile, around 300 workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Gidderbaha also joined the Punjab Congress, expressing faith in the leadership of Captain Amarinder. The AAP workers, along with their coordinator Khushpreet Kaur Kotbhai, were led to the Congress fold by party leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, sitting MLA from Gidderbaha.
Taking off the AAP caps and scarves to don the Congress colours, they said they were completely disgusted with the corrupt functioning of Arvind Kejriwal’s party. With outsiders seizing control of AAP, it had been reduced to an organization of corrupt individuals who were only interested in promoting their personal interests by misleading the people of Punjab, they said.Dilbag Singh (AAP) from Balluana and Dilbag Singh (AAP) from Ferozepur also joined, besides Virpal Kaur Sukhna (Coordinator Women Wing AAP Faridkot) and Dr. Dulcha Singh Brar along with their team.Mahesh Gupta from Jalandhar also pledged his support to Congress along with his team.
Others to join the Congress on this occasion were Punjab Christian Movement president Hamid Masih and his team, Ranjodh Singh, ex Vice president MC Mukerian and General Secretary SAD Hoshiarpur.Ajinder Singh (son of ex MP Late S. Harcharan Singh), Advocate Satnam Pal Kambhoj (who contest the 2014 LS polls on AAP ticket), along with six other members, and Jagtar Singh Bhullar (senior vice president of Depot Holder Union) along with his team from Ferozepur were among the other joinees.Sunil Vij, ex chairman Beopar Cell PPCC, also rejoined the Congress along with his team.Captain Amarinder also welcomed Nirpal Singh Barring and Gurcharan Singh Sehra from SAD Rajpur.Prem Garg (senior vice president) and Prof J.P Sharma (General Secretary) of Sadi Soch Party extended their unconditional support to the Congress, which also witnessed the entry of Police Pensioners Welfare Association led by Chief Patron S. Kanwarjit Singh, along with all 26 district unit incharge.