Punjab Congress leader Ashwani Sekhri joins BJP

Senior Congress leader and former MLA Ashwani Sekhri on Tuesday joined the BJP in the presence of state unit president Sunil Jakhar here. Sekhri came to the BJP fold days after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and expressed his intention of joining the party.

He was the MLA from the Batala assembly seat thrice in 1985, 2002 and 2012 and a minister in the Amarinder Singh government in 2002-2007.

Sekhri met Shah on July 16 in Delhi.


At the same time, Punjab Congress on Sunday held a 'maun satyagraha' (silent protest) against the ethnic clashes in Manipur and the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a member of the Lok Sabha.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, MLA Aruna Chaudhary and former MLAs Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bharat Bhushan Ashu participated in the protest held at the grain market on Gill road in Ludhiana.

The protestors wore black badges on their arms and foreheads. Several of them also carried placards reading "Save Democracy", "Rahul Gandhi Daro Mat" and "BJP Hatao Desh Bachao".

“Every worker, leader and supporter who joined us today have opposed the biased and autocratic nature of the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' had proved that Rahul is not just a politician but the hope of peace in the county and a people's leader," Warring said.