AAP's Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, MLA Sheetal Angural join BJP

In a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its lone Lok Sabha member, Sushil Kumar Rinku, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (March 27). Rinku, representing Jalandhar in Punjab, along with party MLA Sheetal Angural, switched allegiance to the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and national general secretary Vinod Tawde, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Rinku cited the need for Punjab's development, particularly in Jalandhar, as his reason for joining the BJP. "I have taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. We will take Jalandhar forward. We will bring all the projects of the Central Government to Jalandhar," Rinku said after joining the saffron party.

He criticised the AAP government in the state for allegedly neglecting development projects and expressed admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, praising the central government's developmental initiatives. "It is true that the promises I made to the people of Jalandhar were not fulfilled because my party (AAP) did not support me. I am impressed with the working style of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah..." the former AAP leader said.