Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : Former Punjab finance minister and Congress leader Manpreet Singh Badal on Wednesday joined the BJP in the national capital saying he saw politics as a mode of serving India and could no longer be part of the Congress that served factions.
“I did not join politics to serve factions. I could no longer continue in the Congress. I reflected on the matter for a good eight months. It’s not a sudden call. I have joined the BJP to serve the country and to be with mature seasoned leaders who can take care of Punjab and stem its ongoing slip,” Manpreet said.
He said he could no longer see the current plight of Punjab with students from the wheat bowl migrating abroad in search of livelihood.
“I met a lion in Union Home Minister Amit Shah and was deeply impressed by his zeal to serve India and the fact that he said how Punjab had braved several assaults and would not be left to rot,” Manpreet said.
He said the Congress was not the party where he could serve his calling to contribute to Punjab.
Union minister Piyush Goyal inducted Manpreet into the BJP saying Manpreet presented nine budgets as Punjab finance minister.
“Whenever I met Manpreet Badal as minister I sensed a leader genuinely concerned about Punjab and the country,” said Goyal.
BJP general Secretary Tarun Chug said like 1994 when Manpreet Badal contested Gidderbaha signalling a turning point in Punjab politics, today again “Manpreet has emerged the hero of Punjab’s turning point”.
“Manpreet Badal’s Gidderbaha win after the dark years of terrorism led to the era of non-Congress governments. That was a turning point in state politics. Today again, Manpreet Badal by joining the BJP has signalled another turning point in Punjab politics. All well-meaning people are joining us. We will contest on our own strength both in the 2024 Lok Sabha and 2027 state elections,” said Chugh.
Manpreet said India was now the fifth largest world economy and the third largest military.
“India will grow further but the question is what will Punjab’s role be in future India,” the former Akali and ex-Congress leader said.
