In less than a week after he jumped on to the BJP’s bandwagon, Sri Hargobindpur MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi is back in the Congress fold.
Laddi was inducted into the party in the presence of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on late Sunday evening.
Ever since he had quit the party, the Congress party has all along been making attempts to woo him back. It has been learnt that Laddi has been promised a ticket from his constituency.
Laddi had decided to part ways with the Congress after he got the indications that he may not be fielded as party candidate to seek re-elections from his constituency.
Now, the Congress party is seeing it as an achievement for the party. At the same time, it has put a question mark on the BJP’s claims that many more leaders from other parties, including the ruling Congress, are set to join the saffron brigade.
Notably, Laddi had joined the BJP in New Delhi, along with another Congress MLA Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa (Qadian) on December 28. After returning to his constituency, Laddi has been facing protests in his constituency, which is primarily rural segment, with his constituents questioning the move. It has been learnt that Laddi was questioned for his move to join BJP, while reminding him of the farmers’ agitation.
Laddi, after returning to his parent party, declared that he would remain in the Congress.
“I realised that I had made a wrong decision and that’s why I decided to return,” he said.