PPP co-founders desert Manpreet for Congress
Sunday, 18/12/2011
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Allege financial bungling, nepotism by former FM PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh and his party colleagues with the PPP leaders who joined the Congress on Sunday.
The People’s Party of Punjab (PPP) headed by Manpreet Singh Badal on Sunday received its biggest jolt so far, after its founding members, Jagbir Singh Brar and Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, both of whom are former MLAs, and Sukhjit Singh ‘Kaka’ Lohgarh joined the Congress here.
The three PPP leaders were welcomed into the Congress by state unit chief Capt Amarinder Singh in the presence of the party’s Punjab affairs in-charge Gulchain Singh Charak, and Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. Capt Singh said their joining the Congress would further strengthen the party. “Several others from the SAD and BJP, too, are in touch with us,” he claimed.
Another former MLA and PPP’s alliance leader Gagandeep Singh Barnala, son of former Tamil Nadu Governor and alliance patron Surjit Singh Barnala, may also join the Congress.
Brar said Manpreet collected “at least $50,000” from abroad, but there were no records. “The PPP is being run by Manpreet’s wife and her brother.”
“We got Manpreet out of the SAD, but could not get Badal out of Manpreet,” said Dhillon, referring to the dispute within the Badal clan that led to Manpreet parting ways with his uncle and CM Parkash Singh Badal, and cousin and deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. “Manpreet still has a soft corner for his uncle, and we will not be surprised if he returns to the SAD.” PPP leader Abhay Sandhu termed the three leaders traitors.
