'Kejriwal go back' hoardings put up in Amritsar ahead of AAP leader's Punjab visit

Ahead of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Punjab, hoardings of 'Kejriwal Go Back' have appeared in Amritsar, news agency ANI reported. Congress leader Saurabh Madan said that Kejriwal is not needed in Punjab and described Kejriwal's visit a 'political stunt'.

"He will reach at 12 pm, his visit is a political stunt. How many times has he come here in the last 4 years? He should pay visit to Harmandir Sahib and go back," Madan said.

"He (Kejriwal) is not needed in Punjab. AAP MLAs are joining Congress. No leader will be inducted into their party (AAP) tomorrow, I have come to know about an officer, but no leader," he added.

Kejriwal is scheduled to visit Punjab today. The visit comes ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab next year. "Punjab wants change. The only hope is the Aam Aadmi Party. See you tomorrow at Amritsar," he had tweeted.

Earlier this month, Bholath Assembly segment legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira and two rebel AAP MLAs Jagdev Singh Kamalu and Pirmal Singh Khalsa joined the Congress.

Khaira returned to the Congress nearly six years after quitting it. He had joined the AAP in December 2015 and was elected from Bholath assembly seat in 2017. He resigned from the primary membership of the AAP in January 2019 and had floated his own outfit -- Punjabi Ekta Party. Jagdev Singh Kamalu is a legislator from Maur seat and Pirmal Singh Dhaula an MLA from Bhadaur. Both are first-time legislators.

Along with a few AAP legislators, Khaira had rebelled against the AAP after he was unceremoniously removed as the Leader of Opposition of the Punjab Assembly in 2018. After quitting the AAP, Khaira had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Bathinda seat on his Punjabi Ekta Party ticket.

The Aam Aadmi Party had won 20 seats in the 2017 Assembly polls.