Former Congress MLA Rinwa joins SAD

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 13

Eyeing the Fazilka Assembly seat, ex-MLA Dr Mohinder Rinwa today left the Congress to join the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

Welcoming Rinwa and his team into the party at a function here, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said several leaders from various other parties also wanted to join the Akali Dal.

The Congress had not given Rinwa the ticket to contest in the last two elections. He is looking to contest from Fazilka on the Akali ticket as earlier the BJP used to field a candidate from this seat under the seat arrangement with the Akalis. The alliance broke last year over the contentious central farm laws.

Since then, the Akalis are looking for suitable candidates to fill 22 seats, which they left for the BJP earlier. Earlier, Congress’ Hans Raj Josan had joined the Akalis.

Dr Rinwa, who joined the SAD along with his entire team, said he was doing so as per the wishes of his constituents who conveyed to him that they had faith in the SAD to resolve their grievances and restart development in the district.

Rinwa termed Capt Amarinder Singh as a CM who had gone into hibernation and who did not have time for Congressmen. He said Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar was taking revenge against Congressmen by not conducting even a single meeting at his hometown or even adjoining constituencies for the past three years.

Rinwa would be given further responsibilities in due course, Sukhbir said, adding that now Jakhar was the only remaining Congress leader in the district.