Chandigarh, March 30: The Aam Aadmi Party expanded its political footprint in Punjab on Monday, welcoming a diverse group of local leaders who moved away from the Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal. The mass induction is seen as a tactical setback for the opposition, particularly in the Amritsar and Batala belts, where several block-level presidents and municipal representatives transitioned to AAP.
The event was attended by Punjab Khadi Welfare Board Chairman Gagandeep Singh Ahuja and presided over by OSD Rajbir Singh Ghumman. Among the notable names joining the ranks were Jaskaran Singh, General Secretary of Congress, and Gurvinder Singh, Executive President of the Youth Akali Dal in Amritsar.
Ghumman asserted that the shift in loyalty is a direct result of the tangible progress made by the state government over the last four years. He stated that the “Shiksha Kranti” and other welfare schemes have created a narrative of performance that rival parties are finding difficult to counter at the grassroots level.
“We are deeply impressed by the transparent governance and the welfare of all sections of society,” the joining leaders affirmed in a collective statement. They maintained that AAP is currently the only political entity in Punjab genuinely focused on addressing the needs of the common man.
The list of new members features a strong contingent of rural leadership, including Nambardars and Block Samiti members from villages such as Jheeta Kalan, Jahangir, and Jethuwal. Political analysts noted that the defection of these grassroots workers is likely to impact the local organizational strength of the Congress and SAD in the upcoming months.
