Punjab polls: Damdami Taksal spokesperson, two former MLAs join BJP

Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal’s spokesperson-cum-media adviser Sarchand Singh Bhangu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Jalandhar on Wednesday. Also, former MLAs Didar Singh Bhatti and Satwant Singh Mohi also joined the saffron fold. Union minister Som Parkash, Delhi MP Hans Raj Hans, state general secretary Jiwan Gupta and others were present.

Sarchand said he joined the BJP in appreciation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to resolve the issues of the Sikh community, including ‘punishment’ to the accused of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and opening of the Kartarpur Corridor. Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhumma had recently hailed the Prime Minister for announcing December 26 as ‘Veer Baal Diwas’ as a tribute to the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh’s younger sons Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh.

In reply to a media query on the party’s chief ministerial face, Shekhawat said the party doesn’t have any such tradition. He also attacked Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. “Congress party itself can’t take Sidhu seriously because he can speak against anyone with the same words,” he said. On Enforcement Directorate’s probe against Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, he said that let the agencies do their work. He said the BJP will soon declare its candidate as the selection process is underway.