Big blow to Punjab Cong ahead of Assembly polls, Ex-minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi joins BJP

New Delhi: In a major setback to Punjab Congress ahead of state Assembly polls, its senior leader Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi, who is known to be close to former State Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Tuesday quit the party and joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sodhi, who represents Guru Har Sahai constituency in Punjab Assembly, joined the BJP in the presence of party’s Punjab in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at BJP headquarters in the national capital today. Union Minister Bhupendra Singh Yadav, Union Minister Som Prakash, BJP General Secretary Dushyant Gautam were also present on the occasion.

Shekhawat welcomed Sodhi to the party and hoped that his joining will strengthen the party.

“Gurmeet always think for the development of India and Punjab politics and the social life here has always been a place for him,” said Yadav while welcoming him to the party.

After joining BJP, Gurmeet Sodhi said, “Punjab is a border state and the way communal harmony peace is being created here, the ruling government here will not be to handle it because their internal disputes are not coming to an end. I think only Narendra Modi’s government will save Punjab.”

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sodhi further said, “I worked with Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi. Congress has demolished secularism in the country. A personality like PM Modi can only save Punjab.”

Congress has put the state’s security & communal harmony at stake. Congress’s secular image has now been completely demolished. This infighting in Congress is creating a dangerous situation in Punjab: Rana Gurmit S Sodhi pic.twitter.com/zw1nQn5Sud

— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2021

He further slammed the ruling party of Punjab and said that it is trying to divide the state on the basis of caste.

Speaking about his relationship with Captain Amarinder Singh, Sodhi said, “Today also, I have a lot of respect for Captain Amarinder Singh. He is like my elder brother. I have a good relationship with him.”

After Amarinder Singh resigned from his post of Punjab Chief Minister, Sodhi was removed from his ministerial post.

The political scenario changed in Punjab after former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh left Congress after months of infighting with state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and formed a new party ‘Punjab Lok Congress’.

Amarinder’s party and BJP have also announced an alliance for the upcoming polls scheduled to be held early next year. Punjab assembly polls are scheduled to be held in 2022.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The SAD could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats.