BJP appoints ex-Congressman Shergill as national spokesperson; Amarinder, Jakhar elevated
Three months after quitting the Congress with scathing remarks about sycophancy in the grand old party, lawyer-politician Jaiveer Shergill was appointed as the national spokesperson of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday. Apart from him, former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh—who quit Congress last year—and former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar were elevated as members of the National Working Committee.
Why does this story matter?
This comes months after Congress witnessed a series of resignations from senior leaders. While some interpreted the exodus as the final nail in the grand old party's coffin, it also raised questions about the "ideological differences" claimed by both parties. Although politicians switching between the two parties is not new, the BJP faced resentment in Gujarat over fielding turncoats in the elections.
Shergill quit Congress in August, Jakhar in May
Madan Kaushik, Manoranjan Kalia among other appointees
Along with Singh and Jakhar, Swatantradev Singh from Uttar Pradesh was also appointed as a member of the NWC. Special invitees as members of the NWC included Uttarakhand's Madan Kaushik, Vishnudeo Sai from Chhattisgarh, and Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Manoranjan Kalia, and Amanjot Kaur Ramoowalia from Punjab. Sodhi, a reportedly close confidant of Singh, also switched to BJP from Congress last year.
Jakhar quit Congress amid Udaipur's Chintar Shivir
Shergill walked out of Congress in August saying that "decision-making is no longer for the interests of the public," and the party was influenced by the self-serving interests of individuals who indulge in "sycophancy" and continuously ignore the on-ground reality. Jakhar quit the Congress reportedly enraged by the party's response to his rebellious actions amid its Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Singh joined BJP in September, merged his party
Singh had quit the Congress after being removed from the CM post unceremoniously following his tussle with then-state Congress chief Navjot Singh Siddhu. The party then appointed Charanjit Singh Channi as the CM but failed to retain power in elections conducted months later. He joined the BJP in September and merged his newly-launched party, the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC), with the saffron party.
