Jalandhar, Dec 26 (UNI) Sitting legislator of ruling Congress from Rajpura Raj Kumar Khurana today quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP).

Mr Khurana announced his decision at a press conference here in the presence of several BJP leaders, including former Union Minister and BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley, former state Minister Balraji Dass Tandon and former MP Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Mr Khurana also announced his intention to resign from his assembly membership.

He said he had conveyed to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and PPCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo of his step through a letter in the day.

Accusing Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh of an anti- poor approach and failure in providing corruption-free governance, Mr Khurana corruption as well as prices of essential commodities had touched new heights during the past five years.

He said the Chief Minister had been running the government in an aristocratic style and had no concern for the people and the state.

BJP General Secretary and party Punjab unit's orgnaisational Incharge, Mr Jaitley, also the organisational incharge of Punjab, justified Mr Khurana's induction in the party and said the MLA had always been raising issues close to the BJP-sad, within the ruling Congress for the past five years and his induction would certainly give the combine a boost in the impending assembly elections in the state.

He said the party would utilise a senior and popular figure like Mr Khurana as its candidate, as well as campaigner, in the assembly elections.

Mr Khurana and Mr Jaitley hinted at the possibility of induction of more Congress leaders in the BJP in the coming days.

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