Jolt for BJP as ex-councillor, SC Morcha secretary join AAP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Phagwara received a severe jolt with two senior leaders, former councillor Gurdeep Singh Deepa and state secretary of saffron party’s SC Morcha Ravi Kumar, officially joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today.

Gurdeep Singh Deepa, who was elected as a councillor on the BJP ticket when the Phagwara Municipal Corporation was formed in 2015, has previously served in prominent positions, including general secretary of the BJP in Kapurthala district, president and state secretary of the BJP BC Morcha, and town head of the RSS. Ravi Kumar, currently the state secretary of the BJP SC Morcha, also cited his disillusionment with the party’s policies and his admiration for the AAP’s focus on public welfare as reasons for his decision to join the AAP.

Both leaders expressed their support for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s progressive policies, which they believe were driving Punjab towards growth. While criticising the BJP’s “anti-farmer” and “anti-Punjab” stance, they said the AAP’s inclusive vision for Punjab resonated with their aspirations for the state.

Welcoming Deepa and Ravi Kumar into the party, Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, MP, and constituency in-charge Joginder Singh Mann assured them of support within the AAP and encouraged them to work collectively for the party’s growth.

The induction follows the recent move of several other key BJP leaders from Phagwara, including district-level BJP youth leaders Ashish Ahluwalia, Kuljit Singh Basra, and former senior president Sunny Batta, who also joined the AAP last month.

AAP spokesperson Harnur Singh Harji Mann, senior leader Daljeet Singh Raju, block president Fauji Shergill and Sarpanch Varun Bangar, who were also present at the event, welcomed former BJP leaders into the party fold.