New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) Ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls, former DGP Sarbdeep Singh Virk, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sarabjit Singh Makkar, and other prominent leaders on Friday joined the BJP.
Virk, Makkar and others like Punjab Cooperative Bank's former Chairman Avtar Singh Zira, industrialist Harcharan Singh Ranauta joined the saffron party here in presence of Union Minister and BJP Punjab election in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Union Minister Som Prakash was also present.
Welcoming the leaders in the party, Shekhawat said that the BJP will be strengthened in Punjab. "They have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they will strengthen the organisation in the state. BJP is moving ahead in Punjab and will create a new history," he said, noting all the new joinees are prominent names in their respective fields.
Makkar said: "I had said that the day Prime Minister Modi will take back the farm laws, I will join the BJP and today I have done the same."
He claimed that in coming days, more people will join the BJP.
On December 1, SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa had joined the BJP. Before joining the BJP in the evening, Sirsa resigned the post of president Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee. In August, five SAD leaders had joined the BJP.
According to orders, he would also be the Principal Secretary, Personnel and Vigilance, besides Financial Commissioner, Development, and Principal Secretary, Food Processing, Horticulture and Governance Reforms and Public Grievances.
Senior SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra, Maheshinder Grewal and Daljit Cheema on Tuesday said it was most unfortunate that even after admitting that some wrong elements wanted to defame the 'kisan sangharsh', Rajewal had neither secured an unconditional apology from those guilty of hooliganism nor subjected them to the process of law.
The Prime minister further said that the visit would be an occasion to consolidate relations with our strategic partners - Japan and Australia - and to take forward our collaboration on important global issues. In a departure statement, the Prime Minister said he will be visiting the US from September 22-25 at the invitation of President Joe Biden.
The Director-General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that it is an important development in support of reaching the 40 per cent vaccination target in all countries by the end of this year.
The charge made by the BJP functionary comes a day after Kejriwal during his visit to poll-bound Goa on Tuesday, announced 80 per cent reservation in private sector jobs, Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 doles for the unemployed youth and families who have lost employment due to Covid respectively as well as setting up of a Skill university in the state.
Even as he reiterated his intention to counter any move to make Sidhu the state's Chief Minister face, Amarinder Singh said he will pit a strong candidate against him in the 2022 Assembly polls to ensure his defeat.
