I have broken 50-year-old tie with Congress over issues of nationalism and brotherhood in Punjab: Sunil Jakhar

New Delhi: Former Punjab Congress President Sunil Jakhar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in presence of party president JP Nadda here on Thursday (May 19). The 68-year-old politician announced his shock resignation from the grand old party on May 14. Jakhar was removed from all party posts by the Congress disciplinary committee following allegations of anti-party activities by certain Punjab unit leaders against him.

Jakhar had quit the Congress after lashing out at former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Twitter, saying that he was "not an asset" as portrayed by the party leadership. He also lashed out at veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni for her statement on the "repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab". 

Welcoming Jakhar, BJP president JP Nadda said, "I welcome Sunil Jakhar to Bharatiya Janata Party. He is an experienced political leader who made a name for himself during his political career. I am confident he will play a big role in strengthening the party in Punjab."

I welcome Sunil Jakhar to Bharatiya Janata Party. He is an experienced political leader who made a name for himself during his political career. I am confident he will play a big role in strengthening the party in Punjab: BJP president JP Nadda in Delhi pic.twitter.com/SqJFjIMS8T — ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2022

Sunil Jakhar, who also held Ambika Soni's statement as one of the reasons for the Congress' drubbing in the Punjab assembly polls earlier this year, said, "Three generations of my family served the Congress party over the last 50 years. Today, I have broken the 50-year-old tie with Congress over issues of nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab."

Three generations of my family served the Congress party over the last 50 years. Today, I have broken the 50-year-old tie with Congress over issues of nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab: Sunil Jakhar on joining BJP in Delhi pic.twitter.com/w0YimbLqPa — ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2022

On Wednesday, another Congress leader Hardik Patel, who was the party's working president in Gujarat, also tendered his resignation, just months ahead of assembly elections in the state. 

In a press conference a day later, Hardik Patel said that he has not yet taken any decision to go, when questioned if he would jump ship to the ruling BJP.

(With Agency Inputs)