With the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 just around the corner, the political atmosphere is at its peak of unrest. All the parties are making shocking announcements that are sending shivers down the spines of political enthusiasts. It seems as if there has been news of a major party leader shifting his or her allegiance every day. With Sushil Rinku’s shocking move to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Captain’s family also leaving Congress, and Tinu leaving Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to join Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), this raises a pertinent question of loyalties of political leader. But it also brings up another question, how many times has a same leader switched parties? In answer to this question, here are 4 political leaders who have been a part of 3 seperate parties:
Sushil Kumar Rinku:
The former Jalandhar MP Sushil Rinku started his journey as counciller in the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation. He first became an MLA on a Congress ticket in 2017. He subsequently went on to suffer defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections at the hands of AAP Candidate, Sheetal Angural. However, in a masterstroke, Rinku left Congress to contest the Jalandhar by-elections on AAP ticket and managed to secure the LS seat.
Most recently, Rinku surprised voters everywhere with a shock move to BJP. His decision was met with severe public outcry from AAP supporters who labeled him and fellow turncoat Sheetal Angural traitors (gaddar). This shift made BJP Rinku’s third political party.
Rinku: Congress - AAP - BJP
Hans Raj Hans:
The Sufi Singer had first contested the Jalandhar Lok Sabha from the Akali Dal (SAD) ticket but had however lost. He then proceeded to resign from SAD in 2014 and went on to join Congress. After a relatively unimpressive stint in Congress he joined BJP and successfully contested the Delhi West constituency on the BJP ticket. This year he will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections in the Faridkot Constituency on the BJP ticket.
Hans Raj Hans: SAD- Congress- BJP
Pawan Kumar Tinu:
Pawan Kumar Tinu is a two-time MLA from the Adampur Legislative Assembly Constituency, both times from a SAD ticket. In the 2022 by-elections, he suffered defeat at the hands of current Adampur MLA, Congress’ Sukhwinder Singh Kotli. Pawan Kumar used to be a member of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and was reportedly close friends with Kotli. Pawan Kumar won the Legislative Assembly elections in 2014 and 2017 on the SAD ticket. He also contested the Lok Sabha Elections in Jalandhar in 2014, but lost out to Congress’ Santokh Singh Chaudhary.
Most recently Tinu, left SAD to join AAP, which will be the third political party that he joined in his career.
Pawan Kumar Tinu: BSP-SAD-AAP
Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi:
Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi had been elected MP in Patiala in 2016, but resigned from AAP in 2016. He then unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections after forming his own political party named 'Nawan Punjab Party'. A few weeks ago, he was introduced into the Congress Party and is likely to be their candidate for Patiala, as the sitting MP Preneet Kaur left the party to join BJP.
Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi: AAP- Nawan Punjab Party- Congress