With Assembly elections in Punjabi less than a year away, the Congress is on an over drive in poaching leaders from its rival parties. It was the turn of singer Balkar Sidhu, a former AAP leader, who joined the Congress here on Tuesday in the presence of PPCC President Amarinder Singh.
On Monday, Shiromani Akali Dal leaders Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Harinderpal Singh Mann along with their supporters had joined the Congress.
Welcoming Balkar Sidhu into the party fold, Amarinder said, “we welcome him (Sidhu) as has joined our party unconditionally. People love and respect him for his talent. He is a well known figure in Punjab, especially in the Malwa region. He will prove to be a great asset for our party”.
Sidhu said that he had joined the Congress party “unconditionally”. “I am confident that under the leadership of party’s national president Sonia Gandhi, Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and state president Capt Amarinder Singh, we will form the next Government in Punjab,” he said.
Sidhu said he will use his singing talent and write songs to convey “the anger that is there against the Akalis among various sections of society for pushing the State backwards”.
Sidhu had been expelled from AAP in August 2014 for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities. He had later filed nomination as an Independent following
cancellation of his ticket as AAP candidate.