In a setback to the Congress party, a close aide of Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and Councilor from Bhatinda, Jagroop Singh resigned from the Congress and holds the 'broom' by joining AAP here on Monday.
Jarnail Singh, the party's in-charge of Punjab affairs, made the announcement at a press conference in Chandigarh in the afternoon.
Jagroop Singh Gill had been a Councilor of Bathinda Municipal Corporation for six consecutive terms. He was also chairman of the Bhatinda Improvement Trust for a long time. Earlier, the Captain's Congress government had appointed Jagroop Gill as the chairman of the district planning board but he resigned from the chairmanship of the district planning board before contesting the municipal council election.
Meanwhile, welcoming Jagroop Singh in the AAP’s fold, the party's in-charge of Punjab affairs Jarnail Singh said that the decision to give the ticket to Jagroop Singh Gill from Bathinda or make him constituency in charge would be taken by the party.
At present, Jagroop Gill has joined the party unconditionally. After joining the Aam Aadmi Party, Gill said he would work day and night for the party's success. He said that the law and order situation in the state is very bad compelling him to join AAP.
Jagroop Gill was seen as the mayor candidate of the Bhatinda municipal corporation but was ignored by the Congress. After this he was angry with Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal.
(By Dinesh Sharma)