AAP list has 20 turncoats from Cong, BJP

There are many turncoats in the lists released by various parties for the Jalandhar MC poll. At least 20 leaders on the AAP list include former Congress councillors or former leaders from the BJP.

The AAP's list has former Mayor Jagdish Raja from Ward 64 and two former Deputy Mayors Raja's wife Anita Raja (Ward no. 65) and Harsimranjit Singh Bunty (Ward 50). Former Congress councillor Aruna Arora (Ward 33) also figures among the hoppers.

While Bunty had joined the party earlier, Raja, Anita Raja and Aruna Arora were fresh entrants into the AAP.

All through this year, various councillors have been hopping from one party to another - with many switching sides yet again - right before the MC elections.

After the ending of the tenure of the MC House, there have been several elections in Jalandhar.

Former Congress councillor Harjinder Singh Ladda, who has bagged ticket from Ward no. 48 from AAP this year, had remained in the Congress and BJP and is now contesting from AAP. Manjit Singh Titu, who got ticket from the BJP in Ward number 50 was formerly with the SAD and also remained associated with Congress leaders. Titu along with various other Congress and AAP councillors had joined the BJP in March this year.

When former Congressman and later AAP MP Sushil Rinku joined the BJP this year, ahead of the LS polls, 15 former Congress councillors shifted to the BJP with him. Some of these leaders switched to AAP ahead of the Jalandhar West bypoll.

The AAP list has the highest number of Congress turncoats. They include Aruna Arora (Ward 33), Des Raj Jassal (Ward 84), Manmohan Raju (Ward 20), Harjinder Singh Ladda (Ward 48), Deepak Sharda (Ward 78), Tarlok Saran (Ward 6), Rajneesh Bhagat (Ward 46), Parveen (Ward 51), Amardeep Sandal (Keenu) (Ward 8), Ganga Devi (Ward 23), Nirmal Nimmi (Ward 74), Sandeep Verma (Ward 54) among others.

AAP's Ward 62 pick Vaneet Dhir and Ward 55's Amit Ludhra also shifted from the BJP to AAP just days ago.