Chandigarh: In a set back to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its announced candidate for the upcoming Punjab polls from Ferozepur Rural constituency, Ashu Banger, has joined the Congress party in the presence of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Banger, who had quit the party in the morning, joined the Congress party in the presence of CM Channi and Congress leadership at Congress Bhawan, here on Monday.
CM Channi also announced him as the Congress candidate from the Ferozepur Rural constituency. Along with Banger, many AAP workers have also joined the Congress party.
Notably, this would be for the first time that an announced candidate has switched the party when the elections are around the corner.
Welcoming Banger into the party fold, CM Channi said that Punjab needs such courageous and true-hearted youngsters, who want to work for the betterment of Punjab and quit the party even after being announced as AAP candidate.
“AAP is a ‘fraud’ party and after finding out its anti-Punajbis agenda, Banger quits the party. I am confident that his induction will give a boost to the Congress party in Punjab,” CM said while addressing the media here.
CM said that it is condemnable that Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha had misbehaved with media persons recently and made scurrilous claims against the farmers of Punjab, who had spearhead fought for the rights of Punjab and farming.
Lambasting at AAP leadership, Banger, who is contesting Vidhan Sabha polls for the first time, said that he was humiliated & coerced by the AAP leadership including Delhi CM Kejriwal to spend money on electioneering to woo voters.
“AAP functions like a multinational company and all leaders from Punjab have been dictated from Delhi which was very pressurising and hindering the so-called development agenda and welfare of Punjab by the party,” he added.
Banger said that Chadha is acting like a dictator and has been directing AAP workers to follow his command without taking the Punjab leadership into confidence.
Meanwhile, reacting to a media query over announcing CM candidate by AAP, “Launching helpline by AAP and selecting the CM face is an eye-wash activity but they will not be able to befool the people of Punjab,” CM added.
CM said that 10 MLAs of AAP and many workers had already quit the party that indicates that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has lost its credibility among their workers and people of Punjab.