New entrants to contribute to victory: Punjab FM Harpal Cheema

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, May 9

Nearly 5,000 persons, including 600 sarpanches, panches, ex-panchayat members and 50-60 councillors from Jalandhar city and its peripheral towns, have formally joined the Aam Aadmi Party within a span of around one month ahead of the bypoll here. With this, the party hopes to break into this Congress bastion during the bypoll tomorrow.

The AAP leadership used a hotel at BSF Chowk here and a resort in Phagwara for welcoming these leaders into the party fold.

Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said these developments were an indication of the party’s growing popularity. Its outcome would be evident in the results to be declared on May 13.

Some party insiders, however, said the party should have put in place a selection criterion for allowing people into the party fold. Many of those who joined AAP have FIRs registered against them. This could dent the party’s image, they said.

The Opposition parties are reacting strongly against the AAP’s joining spree. “The figures being reported by AAP are fudged. Of course, some people have joined the party, but most of them have done so under pressure. They have joined AAP, but we are sure they will ultimately vote for us,” said PCC chief Amarinder Raja Warring.

Former SAD MLA from Adampur Pawan Tinu said, “The arm-twisting tactics of AAP will have a negative effect. All parties tend to use the official machinery during bypoll, but the kind of misuse by AAP crossed all limits.”

Joined under pressure: Warring

Some people have joined AAP, but most of them have done so under pressure. They have joined AAP, but we are sure they will ultimately vote for us. Amarinder Raja Warring, PCC chief