The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) once again managed to take hold of another disgruntled leader in the Congress. After being denied the Congress ticket from Hoshiarpur, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) general secretary Joginder Singh Chhina and Master Harcharan Singh Chhina joined the Akali Dal on Sunday.

Considered to be close to the PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa and his main strength in his home constituency Qadian, both leaders along with hundreds of their supporters deserted the Congress party.

While Chhina’s name was doing the rounds for the Hoshiarpur seat which was eventually given to Jalandhar MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Master Harcharan Singh Chhina was former chairman of Dhariwal Panchayat Samiti.

Besides them, two more prominent Congress faces from Qadian constituency — Gurnek Singh and Baljit Singh laddi joined the Akali Dal ahead lok Sabha polls giving a major jolt to Bajwa in his home constituency.

They alleged PPCC president of behaving “like a frustrated leader” these days. “Bajwa has smelt his clear defeat and he is spitting his anger on his fellowmen. There is no point to work for a party which has no vision and its leaders are frustrated,” they added. They maintained that they decided to join Akali Dal as it was the only party that has been doing a good job for the overall development of the downtrodden.

Welcoming Chinna and his supporters into the party fold, SAD chief Sukhbir Badal said that Bajwa had already lost his hold on the PPCC and with this jolt, he had lost grip on his constituency too.

“The way Congress leaders are leaving the party is indicative of the fact that the Congress is all set to be disappeared from the political scene of Punjab by the end of lok Sabha polls. I have planned big surprises for Congress which he was going to disclose after April 2,” he said.