Another AAP MLA joins Congress in Punjab

In a setback to the AAP ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Punjab, its another legislator, Amarjit Singh Sandoa, joined the Congress Saturday in the presence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Sandoa, who represents Roopnagar in the Assembly, is the second AAP MLA to join the Congress ahead of the parliamentary polls.

Sandoa said he felt "disenchanted" with the AAP due to the top leadership's "high-handed" approach towards Punjab and decided to join the Congress for its politics of development and inclusiveness.

Earlier, AAP MLA from Mansa constituency Nazar Singh Manshahia had joined the party on April 29.

Welcoming Sandoa into the party fold, the chief minister said it would boost the Congress's prospects.

He said the development was a clear endorsement of his government's path-breaking initiatives in the past two years.

"AAP national president Arvind Kejirwal's autocratic style of functioning and the chaos in the state wing of the party were making its legislators feel suffocated, compelling them to shift to the Congress, which was completely focused on development of the state and welfare of its people," Amarinder Singh said.

He said Sandoa's joining would further bolster the Congress's prospects in Roopnagar, which is part of Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency. The party has fielded its spokesperson and former Union minister Manish Tewari from the seat.

The chief minister asserted that the Congress will win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Punjab goes to polls on May 19.

In 2014, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress bagged four seats each in the state, while the Shiromani Akali Dal and its ally BJP won five seats.