Punjab Lok Sabha Election 2024: The lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Jalandhar, Sushil Kumar Rinku on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, beginning April 19.
A former Congress MLA, Rinku had switched to the AAP on April 27, 2023, and a day later, was declared the AAP candidate from the Jalandhar parliamentary constituency.
Rinku is now likely to contest the Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket after joining the party, the sources said.
After joining BJP, Sushil Kumar Rinku said, "It is true that the promises I made to the people of Jalandhar were not fulfilled because my party (AAP) did not support me. I am impressed with the working style of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah..."
“The country is moving forward while Punjab is lacking somewhere. In my constituency of Jalandhar, I have seen how far behind we are in terms of development. In my capacity as an MP, I got the opportunity to see PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah work and I was greatly impressed,” Rinku said.
"I have taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. We will take Jalandhar forward. We will bring all the projects of the Central Government to Jalandhar," Rinku added.
"...BJP is the largest political party in the world. People from different walks of life are joining our family... I welcome Sushil Kumar Rinku and Sheetal Angural to the party... The situation is changing in Punjab and we all will work together to make India developed by 2047...," said Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
"Congress and AAP are two sides of the same coin. Sushil Rinku joined the party today... He is the only Lok Sabha MP of (AAP) and they (AAP) should be ashamed...," said Punjab BJP unit chief Sunil Jhakar.
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