CHANDIGARH, February 8: Senior leaders Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Harinder Singh ‘Harry’ Manntoday joined the Congress along with thousands of their supporters. They were welcomed into the party by the PCC president Capt Amarinder Singh.
Besides, the AICC secretary incharge Harish Chaudhary, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, former union minister Ms Preneet Kaur, vice chairman of the campaign committee Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Hardayal Singh Kambhoj and Rana Gurjeet Singh were also present on the occasion.
Welcoming the leaders into the party fold, Capt Amarinder said, this will strengthen the party further in the state. He said, the resignation of the two senior leaders from the Akali Dal and joining the Congress was not only reflective of the anti-Akali mood prevailing in Punjab, but also indicated that people were looking forward to the Congress to form government in the state.
The PCC president said that the leaders had joined the party without any condition. Replying to questions by reporters, he said, the allotment of tickets was the prerogative of the Congress high command only.
Speaking on the occasion Deepinder Dhillon said, he had joined back the Congress as his workers and supporters were not getting due justice in the Akali Dal. He said, the sitting Akali MLA NK Sharma had unleashed a reign of terror against his supporters and false cases were slapped against them.
He also made it categorically clear that he had not come to the Congress with any motives. “I have left the government to safeguard the interests of my workers”, he said, adding, under current circumstances only the Congress under the leadership of Capt Amarinder could steer Punjab out of its crisis.
Harry Mann said that he had about three decades of political experience and had worked in the Congress on important positions. He said, he had joined the Congress since he was of the firm belief that while the Akali-BJP alliance was on the way out, the Aam Aadmi Party could not be trusted. “Under these circumstances average Punjabi believes that only Capt Amarinder can provide best leadership to the state”, he said.