In a volte-face, Ropar MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa has officially returned to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday, while describing his decision to switch sides to the Congress as his “life’s biggest blunder” — becoming
the second rebel AAP MLA to leave Congress and return to the party.
Sandoa, who had joined the Congress on May 4 — days before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, minced no words to say that he was ashamed of his decision to join the Congress in a tearing hurry while blaming the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for “doing nothing for the people of Punjab”.
Before Sandoa, AAP’s Jaitu MLA Baldev Singh, who had left AAP in July 2018 after the leadership unceremoniously, removed Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira from the post of the Leader of Opposition, also returned to the party in October 2019.
Notably, Sandoa was seen with the AAP MLAs in Delhi in the past days, but was reluctant to admit that he has returned to the party. On the other hand, Punjab’s AAP leaders had claimed that Sandoa is back in the party.
As Sandoa announced his return to the party fold in Delhi, he was welcomed by AAP legislature party leader and the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema, Punjab affairs in-charge Jarnail Singh and party legislators from the State in New Delhi.
“I tender my sincere apologies to the party high command and state leadership, who were devastated by my decision to quit the AAP. I undertake to work for the party like a tireless volunteer without any ambition for the party post or position,” said Sandoa.
Sharing his thoughts over switching sides to the Congress party, Sandoa said that switching sides to the Congress had been “the biggest blunder of my life and I am ashamed of the decision, which seems to have been taken in a tearing hurry”.
“Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had done nothing for the people of Punjab. All sections are bearing the brunt of his anti-people stance,” he said adding that Capt Amarinder, before assuming power in 2017, had pedalled promises, like crushing drug mafia within weeks, ‘ghar-ghar-naukri’, complete loan waiver to the farmers among a host of others, which have remained unfulfilled.
Sandoa said that the Captain-Modi duo had played a cruel joke on the farmers by enacting three contentious agriculture marketing laws, which the farmers sensed were detrimental to their survival and sustenance, following which they chose to fight back the proposed laws by taking the road route.
Lauding AAP’s role under the inspiring leadership of Delhi Chief Minister and national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who had played a significant role in the ongoing struggle of the farmers, Sandoa said that this has prompted him to return to the party fold.
Expressing his regrets for the decision to quit the party, Sandoa said “The decision to return to the party fold is the decision of my conscience and has not been taken under duress. I shall continue to abide by the policies and programmes of the party and work in tandem with the state and central leadership. I tender my sincere apologies to those who were left devastated by my decision to quit the party.”