Chandigarh, Feb 15: A notable shift within the Punjab political landscape, senior leader and industrialist Arvind Khanna officially joined the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday. The transition occurred shortly after Khanna resigned from his position as the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state unit, marking a significant development for the party in the Sangrur region.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal visited Khanna’s residence in Sangrur to formally welcome him into the party fold. During the visit, the party chief announced Khanna’s appointment as the Halka Incharge for the Sangrur Assembly constituency, a move aimed at strengthening the party’s local organizational structure.
“It is my pleasure to welcome senior BJP leader, two-time MLA and my friend Arvind Khanna into the Shiromani Akali Dal and appoint him as the Halka Incharge of the Sangrur Assembly constituency,” stated Sukhbir Singh Badal. The SAD president further noted that Khanna’s decades of service and social initiatives in the area would be instrumental for the party’s growth in the district.
Khanna, who previously served in the Congress before moving to the BJP in 2022, had contested the 2022 Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Sangrur under the saffron party’s banner. Sources indicated that the leader’s decision was influenced by challenges in gaining traction within rural constituencies. Following his induction, several other local leaders and workers also moved to the SAD, affirming a broader realignment in Sangrur’s political circles.
