New Delhi: In a major setback to the Congress party ahead of Punjab Assembly elections, two sitting Congress legislators on Tuesday deserted the grand old party and joined hands with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Fateh Singh Bajwa and Balwinder Singh Lalli are sitting Congress MLAs from Qadian and Hargobindpur. Both the MLAs were upset with the party reportedly over denial of tickets for Assembly polls.

Both the Congress leaders joined BJP in presence of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Cricketer Dinesh Mongia also joined the BJP.

Former Congress MLA Fateh Bajwa, Former MLA Akali Dal Gurtej Singh Gudhiyana, Former Member of Parliament United Akali Dal Rajdev Singh Khalsa, and Retired ADC and Advocate in Punjab Haryana High Court Madhumeet joins BJP today in Delhi pic.twitter.com/bJJEVnsSNQ

— ANI (@ANI) December 28, 2021

Welcoming them into party, senior BJP leader said that leaders from other parties joining BJP shows that it is gaining ground in Punjab. Fateh Bajwa is brother of senior Congress leader Pratap Singh Bajwa.

Reports suggest that more such leaders quitting the party for ‘greener pastures’ is not ruled out.

This comes close on the heels of meeting between former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh & former Union Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhinsa with BJP top brass. BJP inked the alliance with the parties led by these two leaders for the impending elections in the state.