Fateh was Sidhu’s staunch supporter, 16 join BJP in Delhi

In a massive setback to the ruling Congress in Punjab, its two sitting MLAs Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa from Qadian and Balwinder Singh Laddi from Shri Hargobindpur joined the BJP on Tuesday. Their shift came days after Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu had backed their candidatures at political rallies.

Fateh, one of Sidhu’s staunch supporters, is the brother of Punjab Congress former president and Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa. Notably, Bajwa has already made clear his intentions of contesting polls from Qadian — a seat he was representing before being elected as Lok Sabha member and is currently represented by Fateh.

Now, with Fateh joining the saffron party, Qadian Assembly constituency is likely to witness “Bajwa versus Bajwa” battle.

“The party has to decide whether there will be Bajwa vs Bajwa in Qadian. We will do as the party says. I will definitely contest elections,” said Fateh after joining the BJP.

Fateh, the first-time MLA, said he has not joined because of his brother also throwing his hat in the electoral ring from Qadian, but because of “Modi’s commitment for the country. I know that if Punjab has to progress, it can be possible only with the BJP. I will be BJP’s foot soldier in Punjab and you will see that the BJP flag will be hoisted in the State”.

Ever since Partap Bajwa became active in Qadian, expressing his desire to return to State politics, Fateh has been quite upset. He had even dared his brother to contest against Majithia to prove his mettle.

It was amid Fateh’s clash with Partap Bajwa that Sidhu had backed Qadian MLA’s candidature. Notably, the Congress has made it clear that it would follow one family-one ticket model, and thus only one of the Bajwa brothers would have got the ticket from the Congress.

Balwinder Laddi, who also joined the BJP along with Fateh in the presence of the party’s Punjab election in-charge and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, is Partap Bajwa’s long-time loyalist.

Meanwhile, all set to begin his political inning, former cricketer Dinesh Mongia,  who was once under the scanner for his alleged involvement in a fixing scandal-on Tuesday also joined the BJP. Chandigarh-born Mongia, who played his last match for India about 13 years ago and announced his retirement in 2020, is likely to contest as BJP candidate in the ensuing Punjab Assembly elections. “I want to serve the people of Punjab by joining the BJP. The party is working for the country’s development,” he said after joining the party,” he said.

Nearly 16 people joined the BJP in Delhi on Tuesday with Union Minister and Punjab election in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and State in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam welcoming the new members into the party fold.  Among those who joined the BJP include three-time SAD MLA from Baluana Gurtej Singh Gudhiyana, Sangrur’s former MP Rajdev Khalsa, United Christian Front Punjab president Kamal Bakshi, Nihal Singh Wala municipal corporation member Jagdeep Singh Dhaliwal, and retired ADC and advocate in the Punjab and Haryana High Court Madhumeet, among others.

Shekhawat claimed the BJP has been witnessing the surge in the party membership ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi repealed the three farm laws. The party leader maintained that they have been receiving a lot of calls with requests to join the BJP, but the membership is approved only after verifying the credentials and past performance of the candidates. Shekhawat said the “BJP footprint in Punjab is growing...This is the reason sitting MLAs from the ruling party are joining the BJP”.