Senior Congress leader from Punjab and a three-time former MLA, Ashwani Sekhri, Sunday said he is joining the BJP, inviting sharp reactions from his party colleagues who termed him “corrupt and coward” and said that he was getting ready for the “washing machine”. Sekhri, who made the announcement after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, alleged that several senior leaders were feeling suffocated in the Punjab Congress. “I met Amit Shah and expressed willingness to join the BJP. He said you are welcome. As per the party protocol, a formal press conference will be held in Chandigarh shortly,” said Sekhri. Among the Hindu faces in the party, Sekhri was the MLA from the Batala assembly seat thrice in 1985, 2002 and 2012 and a minister in the Capt Amarinder Singh-led government in 2002-2007. He unsuccessfully contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections against Aam Aadmi Party's Amansher Singh Shery Kalsi. Considered a close confidant of former state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sekhri's announcement comes days after another Congress turncoat, Sunil Jakhar, was appointed Punjab BJP chief. It also comes amid allegations from Congress that the AAP government in Punjab has unleashed the Vigilance Bureau to target “Hindu leadership of the party” to “help” BJP in the run up to 2024 Lok Sabha elections. AAP has denied the allegations. Meanwhile, Sekhri claimed that “80 per cent” of the Congress leaders were “feeling suffocated” in the state unit. “Gangs of leaders have captured main positions in the party in the last eight to 10 years. They have been targeting traditional Congressmen and suffocating them, leaving them with no option but to leave the party. Earlier, Jakhar sahib quit Congress. Our family worked for Congress for 70 years. They deliberately humiliate senior leaders. The gang has ensured that all good people go out of the party,” Sekhri told the Indian Express. He said he hasn't seen Congress “functioning in this manner in 40 years” of his political career. “In political affairs committee (PAC) announced recently, the old guard has been made to sit in their homes,” said Sekhri, adding that several leaders, facing vigilance cases, have been included. He said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and BJP workers “talk about the nation”, in Congress, the talks are centered on “chair (party posts)”. Sekhri claimed that during his meeting with Shah, he demanded a special package for six border districts - Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Pathankot — that are “worst affected in terms of poverty, under-development and backwardness” due to absence of any industry. State Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said that BJP has “no base and cadre” in the state and is “struggling hard to get people”. He said BJP chief JP Nadda can take away “all such filth”. Earlier, without naming anyone, he had tweeted: “Today, tomatoes are costlier than integrity of some leaders”. Today Tomatoes are costlier than integrity of some leaders. — Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) July 16, 2023 In a joint statement, state Congress leaders asked the high command to expel Sekhri for "anti-party" activities. Party working president Bharat Bhushan Ashu said the Congress appointed Sekhri to the highest positions but he backstabbed the party. Sekhri was the AICC secretary in-charge of Gujarat from 1985 to 2022, Ashu said, adding “such disloyal leaders must not be given a second chance”. Deputy Leader of Opposition Raj Kumar Chabbewal said Sekhri's recent activities have been nothing short of a "sabotage". He said Sekhri was given several chances but he has been working against the party in Gujarat and elsewhere. “His expulsion is long overdue,” Chabbewal added. Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, in a tweet said, “Basanti de taange te charhan layi ik hor sawari aj Dilli de taanga station te pahunch rahi hai (Another passenger is reaching Delhi tonga station to board the saffron tonga). Ashwani Sekhri (is) ready for washing machine”. ਬਸੰਤੀ ਦੇ ਟਾਂਗੇ 'ਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਨ ਲਈ ਇੱਕ ਹੋਰ ਸਵਾਰੀ ਅੱਜ ਦੁਪਹਿਰ 12:30 ਵਜ਼ੇ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਦੇ ਟਾਂਗਾ ਸਟੇਸ਼ਨ 'ਤੇ ਪਹੁੰਚ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ।@AshwaniSekhri1 Ready for Washing Machine. — Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) July 16, 2023 The Opposition parties often use the “washing machine” analogy to target BJP over the induction of “corrupt” leaders and extending “protection” to them. Congress national spokesperson Alka Lamba said, “Congress will get strengthened after the departure of these cowards and dishonest persons.all these corrupt people — for the fear of being sent to jail — are being inducted into AAP and BJP”. In June 2021, there was a buzz that Sekhri was likely to join Shiromani Akali Dal. Then Congress legislator from Amritsar West, Raj Kumar Verka, had reached out to Sekhri to prevent him from switching over . Verka, a former minister, in June last year quit Congress and joined BJP, along with former ministers Balbir Singh Sidhu, Sham Sunder Arora and Gurpreet Singh Kangar. Capt Amarinder Singh, in whose tenure Sekhri was a minister, is also in BJP now after having merged merged his Punjab Lok Congress with the saffron party. BJP has declared to contest 2024 Lok Sabha alone.
