Jit Lal Bhatti, a prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader who contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections from the Adampur constituency, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday at the party’s state headquarters in Chandigarh. The move is seen as a strategic effort by the BJP to bolster its presence in rural areas, particularly in the Doaba region.
Formal Induction by State President
Bhatti was formally inducted into the BJP by Punjab BJP State President Kewal Singh Dhillon. Dhillon welcomed Bhatti and expressed confidence that his grassroots connect and public support would further strengthen the party in the Doaba region, especially in the Adampur constituency. According to Dhillon, the induction aligns with the BJP’s goal of expanding its rural footprint ahead of future elections.
Electoral Performance in 2022
In the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, Bhatti polled nearly 29,000 votes, securing approximately 25% of the vote share in Adampur. He finished third, trailing behind Congress candidate Sukhwinder Kotli and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Pawan Tinu. Tinu later left SAD in 2024 to join AAP. In June of the previous year, AAP had removed Bhatti as its halqa incharge in Adampur, replacing him with Tinu.
Background and Career
Before entering active politics, Bhatti served for 36 years as a Supervisor at Punjab National Bank, retiring in 2015. His long career in banking and his subsequent political involvement have given him a strong local network.
Other New Entrants
Alongside Bhatti, several other political and social leaders joined the BJP during the same event. These include Urmila Devi, former Vice President of Nagar Council Bhogpur; Vidwant Kaur, former Senior Vice President of Nagar Council Bhogpur; Usha Rani, Sarpanch; Raj Rani, a senior AAP worker; Kulwant Singh Karu Larai, former Sarpanch of Larai; Manoj Kumar, former Sikh Kranti Pradhan; Satnam Singh Mankotia, Block President of Adampur; Kulwinder Singh, an ex-serviceman; Amarjit Singh, City President of Bhogpur; Vijay Kumar and Ajay Kumar, AAP Ward Presidents; Rakesh Pinku, former Councillor; Tarsem Lal, Block President; and Vinod Kumar, Village President.
Statements from Leaders
Welcoming the new entrants, Dhillon said the BJP continues to gain strength across Punjab. Bhatti stated that he was inspired by the BJP’s commitment to good governance, nationalism, and public welfare, and pledged to work tirelessly to strengthen the party at the grassroots level across Punjab.
