PNS/
Former Congress MLA from Jalandhar West and a prominent Ravidassia leader Sushil Kumar Rinku on Wednesday joined the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal in Jalandhar.
Rinku, who was earlier expelled by the Congress from the party’s primary membership for “anti-party activities, is likely to be fielded as an AAP candidate for May 10 Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-poll.
Considered close to the former Minister and Congress’ Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh — who has been made the party’s in-charge for Jalandhar bypoll, Rinku’s induction in the AAP is seen as a major boost to the ruling party ahead of crucial byelections.
Welcoming Rinku into the party, Kejriwal appreciated Bhagwant Mann Government in Punjab. “Next month, there is election in Jalandhar. I believe that Aam Aadmi Party and Bhagwant Mann's government has done splendid work in Punjab,” he said.
On asked about AAP's stand on alliance with like-minded parties, Kejriwal asserted that only public rules in a democracy and “once people’s unity is more important than opposition's alliance”.
The polling for the Jalandhar parliamentary seat will take place on May 10 while the counting will be held on May 13. The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary in January at the age of 76. He died after suffering a cardiac arrest during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jalandhar's Phillaur.
Rinku’s induction in the AAP was strongly opposed by his bête noire and AAP MLA from Jalandhar West Sheetal Angural. Their enmity is not unknown. It has been learnt that the AAP’s leadership paid no heed to Angural’s strong opposition to Rinku’s joining the party. Sources also maintained that the Chief Minister had held a meeting with Angural on Wednesday.
It is believed that with Rinku on AAP’s side, the political equations—not only in the constituency but also within the ruling party — is expected to change, especially when two arch rivals—Rinku and Angural—will be asked to work together.
Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat has total nine assembly segments, of which four are with the ruling AAP, while remaining five are represented by the Congress. In fact, Jalandhar parliamentary constituency in considered to be Congress’ stronghold.