In a double blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its sole sitting MP Sushil Kumar Rinku made headlines on Wednesday by defecting to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — a move that also saw AAP MLA Sheetal Angural crossing party lines. Rinku’s switch of allegiance marked a significant turn of events, occurring less than a year after his departure from the Congress and subsequent entry into AAP on April 6 the preceding year, just ahead of the Jalandhar bypoll. Rinku’s transition came weeks after the AAP had announced him as its candidate for Jalandhar Lok Sabha polls.
The high-profile defection, coming a day after Congress’ sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu joined the saffron brigade, has sent shockwaves through the state’s political landscape — setting the stage for a dramatic realignment of power dynamics.
Rinku, who currently represents the Jalandhar constituency in the Lok Sabha, and Angural, elected from the Jalandhar West constituency to the state Assembly, formally joined the BJP in a ceremony attended by the Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and the party's national general secretary Vinod Tawde. The decision to jump ship underscored a massive significant blow to the AAP, particularly as it grappled with mounting challenges on multiple fronts, especially in the wake of arrest of party supremo Arvind Kejriwal.
The move by Rinku and Angural comes amidst growing discontent with the AAP-led Government in Punjab, with both leaders citing the need for greater focus on the state’s development as a driving factor behind their decision to align with the BJP. Rinku, in particular, voiced frustration over the lack of support from the AAP administration in Jalandhar’s development endeavours, highlighting what he perceived as a failure on the part of the ruling party to fulfill its promises to the electorate.
Expressing admiration for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rinku lauded the BJP-led Central Government’s track record on development initiatives, signaling his confidence in the party’s ability to address Punjab’s pressing issues. For Rinku, the switch to the BJP represented a strategic move aimed at advancing the interests of his constituents and fostering a conducive environment for growth and progress in the region.
The decision to defect to the BJP marked a significant reversal for Rinku, who had previously aligned himself with the AAP after leaving the Congress less than a year ago. His entry into AAP was motivated by a desire to contest the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll — a move that reflected his disillusionment with the traditional political establishment. However, his tenure in the Lok Sabha was marked by confrontations with the ruling BJP, culminating in his suspension from the House for unruly behaviour.
The timing of Rinku and Angural’s defection, just ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, suggested strategic calculations aimed at maximizing electoral gains for the BJP in Punjab, especially when the party has decided to contest on all 13 seats independently.
With Rinku’s formidable presence and Angural's grassroots support base, the BJP is expecting to significantly bolster its prospects in the State, potentially reshaping the political landscape in its favour.
The repercussions of Rinku and Angural’s departure from AAP are far-reaching, signaling a major setback for the party as it sought to consolidate its position in Punjab. The loss of its lone Lok Sabha MP, and also party candidate for Lok Sabha elections, underscored the challenges facing the AAP, particularly in the face of recent setbacks, including the arrest of its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.
Mann’s Poetic Reaction
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann posted on X (in Punjabi), “From our side, the river goes to the big house…But once it enters the ocean, it dies…I am paying the price for keeping my head high…Even shameless people have to lower their heads…The neck of Punjab will always remain high with Mann.”
Mann’s post suggested that those who remain true to their values are rewarded. Mann asserted that he will keep his head high amidst challenges, reflecting his determination to uphold integrity. He declared that Punjab's pride will remain high with him.
Security Increased at Rinku, Angural’s Residences
The security of Rinku and Angural’s residences has been heightened following their joining of the BJP. As soon as MP Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural switched sides, AAP workers in the neighborhood began protesting. This led to an increase in security measures at their homes. Punjab Police teams are stationed outside Rinku and Angural’s residences, with restricted access to their premises.
AAP Already Declared Rinku as its Candidate
AAP had already announced Rinku as its candidate from Jalandhar (reserved) seat for June 1 Lok Sabha elections. Rinku left for Delhi from Jalandhar on Wednesday morning and headed straight to the BJP headquarters. Discussion about Rinku joining the BJP had been ongoing for the past week, but he had denied it himself. At that time, Rinku had stated that he was not leaving AAP. After these discussions, he had also met the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh.
Rinku’s Shift from Cong to AAP to BJP Within a Year
Rinku’s stay in the ruling AAP is just less than a year in AAP. In January 2023, Congress sitting MP from Jalandhar Santokh Chaudhary passed away suddenly due to a heart attack during Rahul Gandhi's ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. Just before the by-elections for Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, the former Congress MLA Rinku joined AAP on April 6, 2023. Rewarding him for the switchover, AAP fielded Rinku in the by-elections where he defeated Congress candidate Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary — Santokh Chaudhary’s widow.
Homecoming for Angural
For Angural, joining BJP is a homecoming after a gap of two years. Starting her political journey with the BJP, Angural was quite active in the party in Jalandhar. Two years ago, ahead of the state Assembly elections in 2022, he joined AAP after meeting Bhagwant Mann, and got the party ticket from Jalandhar West constituency, defeating Congress’ Sushil Rinku to become a legislator. After a two-year hiatus, he has once again joined the BJP, alongside the leader he previously defeated to secure his position as an MLA. Angural is considered close to BJP leader Vijay Sampla, the former Member of Parliament and the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
AAP MLA Alleges BJP Offered Rs 20-25 Crore
Hours after AAP’s sitting MP Sushil Rinku and party MLA Sheetal Angural joined the BJP, party’s Jalalabad MLA Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj on Wednesday made startling allegations claiming that the saffron party is attempting to intimidate and lure AAP legislators in Punjab with hefty financial offers.
Kamboj claimed that he and his colleagues have been approached by the BJP representatives, who allegedly offered them between Rs 20 to 25 crores each, to defect from AAP and join the saffron party. The revelation comes just days before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, adding fuel to the already charged political atmosphere in Punjab.
Kamboj, during a press conference in Jalalabad along with two other AAP leaders, highlighted the purported attempts by the BJP to poach AAP legislators. They accused the BJP of resorting to underhanded tactics to bolster its electoral prospects in the state. AAP leaders asserted that they firmly rejected the offers, emphasizing their commitment to the party's principles and agenda.
AAP leaders, during the press conference, provided details of the alleged offers, including phone numbers from which they received the proposals. Notably, one of the numbers was traced back to Cyprus, raising concerns about the origins and motives behind the attempts to lure AAP legislators. BJP is yet to respond to these allegations.
