Jalandhar, May 21: Senior AAP leaders CD Kamboj and HS Walia on Sunday joined the Akali Dal in the presence of party chief Sukhbir Badal.
With this, at least four prominent AAP leaders have quit the party in the last two months — three of them have joined the SAD and one Congress. Walia had contested the previous Assembly elections from Jalandhar Cantt. Kamboj had contested the 2007 and 2012 elections on a Congress ticket from Shahkot, but had lost both to SAD leader Ajit Singh Kohar.
Kamboj said: “Congress candidate Hardev Singh Laddi had worked against the party in the previous two elections, but the party did nothing to punish him. As for AAP, Kejriwal can’t be forgiven for the apology tendered by him. Mukadme mardan te hunde hun (cases are filed against men). He should have stood his ground.”
Welcoming Walia, Sukhbir said: “He is like a brother and will be given a suitable position in the party.”
Talking to the media on the issue of Beas fish deaths, Sukhbir said: “The factory that has dumped pollutants into the river is owned by the Sarna brothers, who have been made religious advisers to Capt Amarinder Singh. Molasses from the factory have caused irreparable damage to the aquatic life. Almost the entire state drinks water from the river. A strong action should be initiated against the culprits rather than levying a fine of just Rs 25 lakh.”
