Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Nazar Singh Manshahia on Thursday joined the Congress. The Mansa MLA said he wanted to serve the people of Punjab which he felt the Congress was best equipped to do. “The AAP had completely lost the narrative in Punjab with no positive agenda or ideology to guide it.” Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said his entry would further strengthen the Congress, which was riding a wave of public mood. He said like-minded people, who had the interest of the State at heart, were joining the Congress in large numbers. “It was a clear sign of complete disillusionment within the AAP, which had lost its locus standi.”
A first-time MLA, Mr. Manshahia was Member of the House Committee on Farmers Suicides and Farm Labourers (2017-18). He is Member of the Committee on Government Assurances (2018-19).
Punjab AAP president Bhagwant Mann said Mr. Manshahia had not only back-stabbed the party but also the people of Punjab.
“People like Manshahia are not working for the party. Instead they are working for the Congress and the Akalis,” he said in a statement.
Rebel AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who had floated the Punjabi Ekta Party, said he was shocked and saddened to hear about Mr. Manshahia’s sudden defection.
“It will only bring disrepute and shatter the confidence of the people in the political class of Punjab.”
Mr. Manshahia was part of the group of rebel AAP MLAs who had aligned with Mr. Khaira after the party had removed the latter as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly last year.