Former AAP member, Punjabi singer Balkar Sidhu joins Congress

Chandigarh, Feb 9: Punjabi singer Balkar Sidhu, a former AAP leader, on Tuesday joined the Congress here in the presence of PPCC President Amarinder Singh.

Welcoming him into the party fold, Amarinder said, "we welcome him (Sidhu) as has joined our party unconditionally. People love and respect him for his talent. He is a well known figure in Punjab, especially in the Malwa region. He will prove to be a great asset for our party". Sidhu said that he had joined the Congress party "unconditionally".

"I am confident that under the leadership of party's national president Sonia Gandhi, Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and state president Capt Amarinder Singh, we will form the next government in Punjab," he said.

Sidhu said he will use his singing talent and write songs to convey "the anger that is there against the Akalis among various sections of society for pushing the state backwards" Sidhu had been expelled from AAP in August 2014 for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities.

He had later filed nomination as an Independent following cancellation of his ticket as AAP candidate. The AAP had first decided to field Sidhu from Talwandi Sabo for the bypolls in August 2014, but replaced him with Baljinder Kaur after several allegations were levelled against the singer.

The seat was won by ruling SAD then. Addressing the press conference here today in presence of Amarinder Singh, the singer-turned-politician lashed out at the AAP and said at the time of bypolls various "false" charges had been levelled against him, "but the AAP failed to prove any charge later on".

"Now, I will seek a reply from them by filing a case in the court for defaming me," he said. Balkar said that after Punjabi comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann joined AAP and later become MP from Sangrur, several actors in the state connected with the party and thought it was sincere and committed to clean the system.

"However, as the time passed, people realised AAP is not what it used to be. They just made big promises to garner votes. They have no policy, no agenda, no programme for the people," he said. A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) expelled Deepak Singh Dhillon and Harinderpal Singh Mann, they joined the Congress party today along with their supporters.

PTI