AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, Punjab MLA join BJP days after Kejriwal's arrest

In a significant jolt to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its lone Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, Sushil Kumar Rinku, joined the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. Rinku, who is an MP from Punjab's Jalandhar, joined BJP along with AAP MLA Sheetan Angural.

This blow to the party comes just as AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remains in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate in relation with the excise policy case in the national capital.

Rinku, the MP from Jalandhar in Punjab, and Angural, who was elected to the state Assembly from Jalandhar West, joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and its national general secretary Vinod Tawde.

Upon joining BJP, the Lok Sabha MP accused the AAP government in Punjab of not helping him in developmental projects in the state, and said he is joining the rival party for the betterment of Punjab.

Check live updates on Arvind Kejriwal's case here

Rinku said on Wednesday, "It is true that the promises I made to the people of Jalandhar were not fulfilled because my party (AAP) did not support me. I am impressed with the working style of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah..."

“I have taken this decision for the development of Jalandhar. We will take Jalandhar forward. We will bring all the projects of the Central Government to Jalandhar,” he added.

The parliamentarian had quit the Congress to join AAP last year to fight the bypoll to the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat. He had been vocal in criticising the BJP in the Lok Sabha. Rinku was even suspended from the House for his unruly protests.

Read more: On remarks against Kangana Ranaut, Anurag Thakur's ‘Shakti’ jibe at Rahul Gandhi

Since this development comes shortly before the Lok Sabha elections, it is likely that the BJP will field Rinku as a candidate from Punjab, inducting a number of strong leaders from multiple parties in the state.

The loss of AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP is expected to be a major hit for the AAP government in Punjab, as the party's position continues to hang in balance after Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in the Delhi excise policy case.

Read more: ECI issues notices to BJP's Dilip Ghosh, Congress' Supriya Shrinate for remarks against women

Kejriwal was the fourth AAP leader to be arrested in the case, after Manish Sisodia, Sayendra Jain and Sanjay Singh. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha was also taken into custody by the ED in the same case.

(With inputs from PTI)