Congress only viable platform to fight BJP on national level, says Sukhpal Khaira after rejoining party

Congress is the only viable platform to fight the 'fanatic and fascist' Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level, said Bholath MLA and former Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira after rejoining the Congress on Thursday.

Khaira along with two rebel AAP MLAs Pirmal Singh and Jagdev Singh Kamalu joined Congress in presence of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh earlier today.

"Congress was the only viable platform that can save India from the clutches of the fascist and fanatic rule of BJP. Only Congress could prevent the Badals from looting the state like their previous regimes," Khaira said.

He said he and his colleagues after due diligence have decided to join the Congress in the "larger interest" of the country and Punjab.

Khaira, who after quitting the Congress had joined the AAP in December 2015 and formed Punjabi Ekta Party, said that for the last one year tried his best to "unite all like-minded leaders" on one platform, to create a Punjab centric regional force but unfortunately he couldn't succeed for various reasons best not disclosed.

He said he was saddened to note the "arrogant attitude" of BJP towards lakhs of farmers especially of Punjab struggling and agitating at the borders of Delhi.

"Not only their demands have been thrown to the winds but they are being continuously humiliated by being branded as anti nationals, Khalistani's, Naxals, etc. PM Modi has not once expressed remorse over the death of over 400 farmers, who are responsible for making India self-sufficient in food grain production," said the former Leader of Opposition.

"Our inefficient Prime Minister has denigrated the status and respect of India amongst the international community by grossly mishandling the Covid crisis, leaving people in the lurch particularly the underprivileged. Similarly, Punjab has been pushed to the brink facing multiple crises due to the corrupt, anti-Sikh, and anti-Punjab policies pursued by the Badal family for their personal political and financial gains, at the cost of state during the last few decades," the Bholath MLA said.

He said Badals not only 'looted' Punjab with both hands and built their vast empire through "ill-gotten" wealth but have "nefariously" worked to destroy the ethos and glory of the Sikhs as a community.

Former AAP leader also lambasted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a "pseudo-revolutionary", "who was nothing but a dictator and B-team of the RSS-BJP".

"Kejriwal supported the BJP in destroying the state of Jammu and Kashmir and has always worked against the spirit of federalism. He had an anti-minority mindset that he exhibited by supporting fundamentalist laws like the CAA and UAPA," he added.

Khaira said it was his "political blunder" to join the AAP in 2015, presuming that Kejriwal would honestly bring about a qualitative change in the political culture of India but after working with him he has realised that Kejriwal was a "double faceted and hypocrite leader".

( With inputs from ANI )