Akali leader Sikander Maluka’s daughter-in-law Parampal Kaur, former Congress social media head Rohan Gupta join BJP

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, April 11

Parampal Kaur Sidhu, the daughter-in-law of former Shiromani Akali Dal minister Sikander Singh Maluka joined the BJP here on Thursday and is likely to be fielded from Bathinda Lok Sabha seat.

Rohan Gupta, former head of Congress social media department, party spokesperson and confidante of late Congress veteran Ahmed Patel, also quit the Congress to join the BJP.

Gupta had earlier pulled out of the race for Lok Sabha election in Ahmedabad East where the Congress had fielded him.

Parampal’s BJP foray has intrigued observers in Punjab as her father-in-law, the former Punjab education minister, is still an active member of SAD.

He is also a member of Akali Dal’s manifesto panel for the 2024 Lok Sabha poll, and is involved in arranging poll rallies of sitting Bathinda MP Harsimrat Badal, who will defend her seat.

BJP has been struggling to find a candidate in Bathinda ever since Manpreet Badal’s health deteriorated.

BJP is fighting Lok Sabha election alone in Punjab for the first time since 1998. All these years it stayed in alliance with the Akali Dal.

BJP has so far declared six out of 13 Punjab candidates. Punjab votes in the last phase on June 1.