AAP’s only Lok Sabha representative, Sushil Kumar Rinku, along with a Punjab MLA, has shifted allegiance to the BJP shortly after the arrest of party leader Arvind Kejriwal.
This transition deals a significant blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), as their sole Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, Sushil Kumar Rinku, representing Jalandhar in Punjab, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move, accompanied by AAP MLA Sheetan Angural, undermines the party’s strength.
The timing of this defection is crucial for AAP, coinciding with the detention of party convener Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a case concerning excise policy in Delhi.
Rinku, hailing from Jalandhar, and Angural, an MLA from Jalandhar West, formally made the switch to the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and the party’s national general secretary Vinod Tawde.
In explaining his decision to join the BJP, Rinku criticized the AAP government in Punjab for its failure to support developmental projects in the state. He cited his admiration for the working methods of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah as influencing factors.
Rinku reiterated his dedication to the advancement of Jalandhar and vowed to bring central government projects to the region. Having previously switched from the Congress to AAP last year to contest the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election, his move to the BJP marks a significant political shift.
With Lok Sabha elections looming, there is speculation that the BJP might nominate Rinku as a candidate from Punjab, leveraging the recruitment of influential leaders from various parties in the state.
The departure of AAP’s only Lok Sabha MP is expected to deal a severe blow to the party’s prospects in Punjab, especially amidst the uncertainty surrounding Kejriwal’s legal situation.
