The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): In a recent political development, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) experienced a significant loss as its only Lok Sabha member, Sushil Kumar Rinku, and MLA Sheetal Angural, transitioned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move comes at a time when AAP is grappling with the repercussions of the arrest of its leader and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, adding to the party’s challenges.
The switch was formalized in New Delhi, in the presence of key BJP figures including Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and National General Secretary Vinod Tawde. Rinku, representing Jalandhar in Punjab, and Angural, an MLA from Jalandhar West, cited the development of Punjab, and Jalandhar in particular, as their primary motivation for joining the BJP. Rinku voiced dissatisfaction with the AAP state government’s lack of support in development initiatives, expressing admiration for the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and acknowledging the central government’s developmental efforts.
Rinku’s transition is noteworthy, given his prior affiliation with the Congress from which he switched to AAP last year, subsequently winning the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat in a bypoll. His tenure in AAP was marked by vocal opposition to the BJP, including instances of suspension from the Lok Sabha due to protests. This political realignment underscores the BJP’s strategy to consolidate its presence in Punjab, aiming to strengthen its position in the state’s 13 Lok Sabha constituencies by attracting influential leaders from other parties.
This series of defections to the BJP, which also includes three-term Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu, reflects a broader trend of political shifting in Punjab. Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, lauded the electorate’s leaning towards Prime Minister Modi for the upcoming elections, indicating a changing political landscape in the state. These developments mark a critical phase for AAP as it navigates internal strife and external challenges, highlighting the dynamic nature of Indian politics.