Two decades after Jagmeet Brar defeated Sukhbir Badal from Faridkot Lok Sabha constituency, the two leaders are all set to shake hands “officially” on Friday.
Brar, once a prominent Congress leader in Punjab and a known ardent critic of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, on Thursday made an official announcement of his joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
SAD, which is yet to announce its candidates for Bathinda and Ferozepur, is considering to field Brar from Ferozepur.
Brar, who was expelled from the Congress party and later went on to join the Trinamool Congress heading the party’s state unit, has been in the political oblivion since quite some time.
On Thursday, Brar declared his next move to join the Akali Dal on April 19 at Muktsar. “In my political and personal capacity, I have been driven by virtues and principles of Guru Nanak. Hence, I want to inform all well-wishers who have stood by me that I will be joining the Shiromani Akali Dal tomorrow at Shri Muktsar Sahib," tweeted the former MP from Faridkot.
“While I live and breathe politics for and by the people, the Akali Dal gives me an opportunity to further my objectives of Sikhism and Punjab. At every step, I have raised issues for the people and will continue to do so," he said in a continuous tweet.
Brar, who had been the permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for 10 years, was expelled from the party in 2016 after his association for more than 30 years with the party.
After the Congress party's defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Brar had suggested that the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the then vice-president Rahul Gandhi go on a sabbatical to introspect on the reasons for the party's worst performance in the elections.
Brar had later joined the Trinamool Congress and had remained president of the party's state unit. He quit the TMC last year. Brar had defeated Sukhbir Badal from Faridkot Lok Sabha seat in 1999, junior Badal went on to defeat Brar in the 2004 polls.
It has been learnt that a local leader, who is Brar’s relative and considered close to Sukhbir, has persuaded the former MP to join the Akali Dal.
