Prominent OBC and SC leaders join AAP, bolstering party's grassroots support

Three political leaders joined AAP: Kuldeep Singh Shanty (BJP), Gurdarshan Lal (Akali Dal), and Rahul Sharma (NSUI). AAP's Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann inducted them, confident of AAP's victory in all 13 Punjab Lok Sabha seats.

A BJP OBC Morcha leader, an Akali Dal leader and NSUI's Punjab vice-president on Saturday here joined the AAP in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Kuldeep Singh Shanty, secretary of BJP's other backward classes (OBC) Morcha, and Gurdarshan Lal, general secretary, scheduled castes (SC) wing (Doaba), Shiromani Akali Dal, were welcomed into the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fold by Mann, according to a party statement.

AAP's Jalandhar Lok Sabha candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu and senior party leader Rajwinder Kaur Thiara were present during their joining ceremony.

Mann said people from every section of Punjab are joining the AAP as they are impressed by the work of the AAP government in the last two years, accoeding to the statement.

He further said the party will create history by winning all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. Punjab vice president of the National Student Union of India (NSUI) Rahul Sharma, who also joined the AAP on the occasion, was inducted into the party by Mann in the presence of AAP's Punjab general secretary Jagroop Singh Sekhwan, the party said.