Days after quitting Congress, top Punjab leader Sunil Jakhar joins BJP

Sunil Jakhar on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), days after his unceremonious exit from Congress.

BJP National President JP Nadda said, “I welcome Sunil Jakhar to Bharatiya Janata Party. He is an experienced political leader who made a name for himself during his political career. I am confident he will play a big role in strengthening the party in Punjab.”

After joining BJP, Jakhar said, “Three generations of my family served the Congress party over the last 50 years. Today, I have broken the 50-year-old tie with Congress over issues of nationalism, unity and brotherhood in Punjab.”

Sources close to News18 said that Jakhar had been in Delhi for the last few days and was in deliberations with the top brass of the BJP.

A three-time MLA and one-time MP, Jakhar, was recently issued a show-cause notice by the Congress leadership over his criticism of former Chief Minister of Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi. Announcing his exit from Congress last week, he said: “It is my parting gift to the party. Good luck and goodbye Congress.”

Jakhar, who also held the post of Punjab Pradesh Congress Chief, was upset with the way he was treated by the Congress high command and also was unhappy over being issued a show-cause notice over alleged anti-party activities.

A report by Hindustan Times mentioned its sources saying that there is also a possibility that Jakhar may be nominated to the Rajya Sabha from some other state and may be assigned some responsibilities in Punjab, sources to HT said.

Jakhar had earlier accused the Congress high command of listening to a “certain Punjab leader” on the matter of the CM’s appointment after Captain Amarinder Singh’s departure.

Notably, Jakhar was among the frontrunners for the chief ministerial post after Amarinder Singh stepped down in 2021. The chances of his becoming the CM turned grim after the statement of party leader Ambika Soni, who had said Congress should go with a Sikh face for Punjab.

Jakhar is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker late Balram Jakhar.

With Inputs from agencies

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