Former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal joined the BJP on Wednesday and slammed the Congress, which he quit before starting his new political innings, for factionalism.
He lauded the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, saying India has emerged strong, including diplomatically and economically, under their nearly nine-year rule.
Voicing concern over the state of affairs in Punjab, he said the state is “slipping” and the BJP is the only party which can meet the challenges facing it.
On his decision to quit the Congress, he said how can one operate in a party which is at “war with itself. Not only in Punjab but in many states, the party is full of factions”.
Union minister Piyush Goyal, who was present during his joining ceremony at the BJP headquarters here, was effusive in his praise of Badal.
Badal is erudite, simple and experienced and was also guided by larger national interest during the GST council meeting when he represented Punjab as it finance minister, Goyal said.
With inputs from News18