Punjab leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Sidhu, Gurpreet Kangar back in Congress after quitting BJP

Chandigarh, October 20

Senior Punjab leaders Raj Kumar Verka, Balbir Singh Sidhu and Gurpreet Kangar, who had switched over from the Congress to the BJP in June last year, returned to the grand old party on Friday.

Some leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal also joined the Congress.

These leaders had a week ago met senior Congress leader K C Venugopal in New Delhi.

Verka, along with Balbir Sidhu and Gurpreet Kangar, all the three who were ministers in the previous Congress regime, had switched over from the Congress to the BJP in June last year.

Hans Raj Josan, Mohinder Rinwa, who had in 2021 quit the Congress to join the SAD, also returned to the Congress fold. Jeet Mohinder Sidhu, who was with the SAD, also joined the Congress here.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had earlier said these leaders would be formally inducted into the party fold at an event here.

Speaking after these leaders were inducted into the Congress here on Friday, Warring said, “Our relentless commitment to the betterment of Punjab continues to steer us in the right direction”.

He said the Congress is not merely a political entity, it embodies an enduring ideology that remains strong and consistent.

“The induction of these leaders into our party today strengthens the enduring power of this ideology,” he said.