Joginder Singh Mann is a three-time MLA from Phagwara, who has been a minister in the cabinets of Beant Singh, H S Brar, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Captain Amarinder Singh. (Photo: Facebook) Three time MLA and a former minister, Joginder Singh Mann, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday, a day after snapping his 50-year-old ties with the Congress. He was welcomed into the party by AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
AAP’s Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha said that Mann’s induction will give a huge boost to the party in the state.
“Inspired by Arvind ji’s vision, Punjab’s former cabinet minister and three-time MLA Joginder Singh Mann ji joins AAP ending his 50-year-old association with Congress. He was presently chairman of Punjab Agro Industries Corp. His induction will give a huge boost to the party’s unit in Punjab,” Chadha said in a tweet.
Mann has been MLA for three terms from Phagwara Assembly constituency (SC) and was a minister in the Congress government led by former chief minister Beant Singh. He is the nephew of former union minister Buta Singh.
After joining AAP, Mann said that it was his wish that his body be wrapped in the Congress flag after his death but now “the Congress has become a party of rich and opportunistic” people.
“There is no place in Congress for the poor and common people. The Congress has completely strayed from its ideals and principles. The Congress government is also completely failing to protect the interests of Dalit children. The scholarship scam for Dalit students was not properly investigated and no one was punished. Therefore, our conscience no longer allows us to remain in the Congress,” he said.
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