In a significant political development, Karan Singh DTO and his wife, former Akali Dal MLA Varinder Kaur Loomba, are set to join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Patran on Wednesday. The induction comes a month after former Punjab minister and senior SAD (Punar Surjit) leader Surjit Singh Rakhra joined the ruling party, marking another setback for the splinter group.
CM Bhagwant Mann to Attend Induction Ceremony
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is expected to attend the function after launching the AAP government's flagship scheme, 'Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna', in Sangrur district. The launch will take place from his Assembly constituency, Dhuri, at around noon. Under the scheme, women beneficiaries from the general category will receive monthly assistance of Rs 1,000, while those belonging to the Scheduled Castes category will get Rs 1,500. The government claims that around 40 lakh women in the state have been registered under the scheme.
Posters and Preparations in Patran
Posters have appeared across Patran town inviting residents to the Anaj Mandi at 1 pm, where Karan Singh DTO and his wife are scheduled to join AAP. The induction is being seen as the second major political gain for AAP in the region after Rakhra, who enjoys considerable influence in the area, joined the ruling party ahead of the civic polls.
Role of Surjit Singh Rakhra
Sources said Rakhra played a key role in persuading DTO to join the ruling party. The Shutrana Assembly constituency is represented by AAP MLA Kulwant Singh Bazigar, who defeated Congress candidate Nirmal Singh in the 2022 Assembly elections. The elections to the Patran Nagar Council, whose schedule has reportedly been cancelled thrice, are expected to be held in July.
Political Context and Further Developments
Sources further said that Rakhra and his supporters joined AAP on the condition that they would be accommodated in the civic polls. Meanwhile, Manpreet Singh Ayali, the SAD MLA from Dakha and one of the senior founding leaders of SAD (Punar Surjit), has quit the party and joined Akali Dal Waris Punjab De.
