In a notable turn of events, Jalandhar’s political landscape has seen a reshuffling as several councillors, who had previously aligned with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during the by-elections, have now switched their allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
This move comes following the entry of MP Sushil Rinku and former MLA Sheetal Angural into the BJP, prompting over a dozen councillors from Jalandhar to follow suit and join the party’s ranks in Chandigarh.
Prior to their official induction, Rinku orchestrated discussions and negotiations with fellow leaders at a private venue outside the city. Notable figures set to join the BJP include Kamaljeet Singh Bhatia, along with Sourabh Seth, Kavita Seth, Vipin Kumar alias Babbi Chaddha, Amit Singh Sandha, Manjeet Singh Titi, Radhika Pathak, Karan Pathak, Varesh Mintoo, Harvinder Ladda, among others. Following deliberations spurred by Rinku and Angural’s BJP affiliation, a decisive meeting was convened on Saturday, culminating in the collective decision to switch parties. Many of the councillors transitioning to the BJP were former representatives of AAP or Congress, wielding considerable influence within their respective constituencies.