Akali leader joins Congress

In a boost to the Congress ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, national political adviser of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Ranjit Singh Nikra today joined the Congress.
Nikra, who is also a Director in Punjab Agro Food Grain Corporation, joined the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) along with several of his supporters in the presence of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh, who welcomed the development as another shot in the arm for the Congress.
Nikra, who was also the national president of the Anti Drug Federation of India (ADFI), has been appointed as the Chairman of the Anti Narcotic Cell of PPCC.

Among those present at the joining ceremony was Sanjiv Garg, Chairman Human Rights Cell and former Vice Chairman Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Limited, who was instrumental in bringing Nikra into the Congress, besides Amarinder's former adviser BIS Chahal.
Nikra, who hails from Patiala, started his political innings as the president of Youth Akali Dal (Badal), Patiala, in 1994, and had since worked with SAD in various capacities, including national Organising Secretary of SAD (Badal) from 2011 to 2015. For a brief period, from 2009 to 2011, Nikra had joined Akali Dal (Longowal) and served the party as its national youth wing president.