13 leaders from SAD, Cong switch to BJP

Ludhiana: In what comes as a shock for the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), 13 persons from both parties joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. SAD and Congress leaders claimed that this would not affect them as those who joined the saffron party were not active and had been sidelined by them.
SAD members who joined the BJP included ward 29 councillor Prabhjot Kaur, her father-in-law Nirmal Singh S S, former DSP Satish Malhotra, his son and ex-councillor Sumit Malhotra, Rajesh Mishra (ex-president, SAD Parvasi wing, Malwa zone), ex-councillor Radhe Krishan, SAD PAC member Baljinder Panesar and Prince Mohinder. Congress members Sewak Singh Deol, Ashok Malhotra, Harkanwaldeep Singh and Prince Kaura also joined the BJP in the presence of its Punjab president, Ashwani Sharma.
Reacting to this, former SAD MLA Ranjit Dhillon said, “Such things happen near elections and those who have left the party were not great leaders. It will not have an impact on us. We will continue with our efforts. Now that people have seen the results of giving a chance to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), they will give us a chance in the MC elections.”
Congress district president Ashwani Sharma also said that it would not affect them. “Congress is the oldest party and a few people cannot damage it,” he said.