Our Correspondent

Ferozepur, August 19

Hours after confronting the BJP state leadership over the three farm laws, former Chief Parliamentary Secretary and two-term Ferozepur MLA Sukhpal Singh Nannu formally quit the party today.

Top brass to blame

The top BJP leadership of Punjab did not present the right picture to the party high command. — Sukhpal Singh Nannu, Ex-MLA

Father three-time MLA

• Nannu’s father Girdhara Singh had quit Congress to join Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which later became the BJP, five decades ago
• Girdhara represented the Ferozepur seat thrice — first in 1967 on Congress ticket and later in 1977 and 1997 (BJP)

Earlier, there was speculation that Nannu might join the SAD, but he denied any such move, saying he was in no mood to join any political outfit for now. In the same vein, Nannu said he would take the final decision about his future course of action in consultation with supporters.

Nannu had won the Ferozepur seat twice as a BJP candidate in 2002 and 2007, but lost two subsequent polls in 2012 and 2017. He attributed the loss to alleged backstabbing by some BJP leaders.

Addressing mediapersons at this residence, where the saffron flag had been fluttering atop for the past 54 years, Nannu broke down while talking about his decision, saying it was a tough call for him.

Nannu said his supporters were up in arms particularly over the farmers’ agitation and subsequent deaths over the past few months. He also raised apprehensions over the current party leadership in the state, whom he accused of failing to keep the flock together.

In a veiled attack on the party high command, Nannu alleged the state BJP president Ashwani Sharma should be held responsible for the present scenario.