Major setback for Congress in Sangrur as senior leaders, workers join AAP
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 17, 2026: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday received a boost in Sangrur as several Congress leaders, former office-bearers, elected representatives and prominent social figures joined the party in the presence of senior AAP leader and Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia.
The new entrants were welcomed into the AAP in the presence of MLA Barinder Kumar Goyal and Punjab AAP Media In-charge Baltej Pannu.
Among those who joined the AAP were Sanmeek Singh Hanry, Member of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) and Coordinator of the Dirba Assembly constituency; Prabh Noor Sidhu, State Secretary of Youth Congress and former Vice-President of District Sangrur; Advocate Rajnish Gupta, member of the Punjab State Grievance Committee and Municipal Councillor from Ward No. 6, Lehragaga; Gursevak Singh, former Sarpanch of Rorewala and Vice-President of the District Congress Committee; and Lakhwinder Singh, General Secretary of the District Congress Committee.
Other leaders and prominent figures joining the AAP included Mandeep Singh, General Secretary of the District Congress Committee and President of the SAP Student Union, Patiala; Veer Singh, former Sarpanch of Salemgarh; Sukhwinder Singh, DP Master; Rohit Kumar Singla, Property Advisor; Rocky Garg, businessman; Dr Baljeet Singh, former Sarpanch and former Chairman of the SC Wing; Gurpreet Singh, former Border Security Force personnel; and Sukhpal Sharma, businessman.
Welcoming the new members, Manish Sisodia said leaders and workers who genuinely care about Punjab were increasingly looking towards the AAP.
He credited AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal with establishing the party and said Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had expanded and strengthened it in Punjab over the past four years.
Sisodia also highlighted the Mann government’s work in areas including agriculture, education, healthcare and free electricity, as well as financial assistance for women. He said these initiatives had strengthened the party’s appeal among leaders from other political organisations.
Speaking on behalf of the new entrants, Sanmeek Singh Hanry said many of those joining the AAP had spent decades with the Congress and belonged to families with a long association with the party.
He alleged that grassroots workers in the Congress increasingly felt ignored and sidelined, with their contributions not receiving adequate recognition.
“We realised that our work was not being valued and that there was no space for genuine ground-level workers,” Hanry said.
He said the new entrants were attracted to the AAP because they believed the party provided greater recognition and respect to grassroots workers.
Hanry also praised Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, particularly for his work on issues concerning farmers and water supply as well as improvements in education and other sectors.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Hanry alleged that discussions among senior leaders over political tickets for members of a single family had further alienated workers who had spent decades working at the grassroots.
He claimed that the AAP, in contrast, valued volunteers and grassroots workers and offered them greater opportunities to contribute to the party.
The new entrants said they had joined the AAP with the belief that the party offered a platform where grassroots workers could be recognised and participate more actively in Punjab’s development.