Punjab Congress leader Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi quit his party and joined the BJP on Tuesday, accusing the Congress of putting the state's "security and communal harmony at stake".
Sodhi, an MLA who is considered close to former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, announced his resignation from the Congress on Twitter and posted the letter sent to party president Sonia Gandhi.
"I cannot accept Punjab's suffocation and helplessness! Congress party has put state's security & communal harmony at stake. With deep agony, I put forth my resignation from all posts & primary membership of Congress party with immediate effect," he said.
Later, he joined the BJP in the presence of Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Bhupender Yadav at its headquarters here. The BJP has announced tie-up with Singh's party, the Punjab Lok Congress.
Noting that he had been in the Congress for over four decades, Sodhi expressed his frustration at the state of affairs in the party, especially Punjab, alleging that its senior leadership is "hell bent on destroying the border state for their personal gains."
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