Akali Dal leader Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal and his younger brother Jasjeet Singh Atwal have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with other leaders from Punjab. Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal is the son of Charanjit Singh Atwal, who was the deputy speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009 and also served as the speaker of the Punjab Assembly in the past. Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal praised the work done by the BJP government at the Centre and the reopening of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikhs by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also emphasized the need to take along all sections of society, including Dalits, for the development of Punjab. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and other senior leaders of the BJP were present during the joining. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri welcomed Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal and other leaders from Punjab into the BJP-fold and stated that people have been joining the BJP due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “new governance model.” Puri emphasized that good governance is also good politics and that the country has witnessed progress under Modi’s leadership.
Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal expressed the need to initiate a “new era” of development in Punjab and bring all sections of society, including Dalits, together. He pledged to work tirelessly to strengthen the BJP in Punjab under the guidance of the party leadership. Atwal also stated that they will bring the entire Sikh society as well as people belonging to every religion and community to lead Punjab towards progress.
