Hoshiarpur l Daljeet Ajnoha : Recently, the return of former cabinet minister Sundar Sham Arora to Congress has created a stir in the politics of Punjab, especially Hoshiarpur. Mr. Arora, who had left Congress and joined BJP about one and a half years ago, has now returned to Congress again. On the one hand, his “homecoming” has raised new hopes in the Congress camp, while on the other hand it has created panic within the BJP. When Arora joined BJP in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, many party leaders welcomed him with open arms. However, senior BJP leader Tikshan Sood did not comment on this at that time. Now that Arora has left the BJP and joined the Congress again, Tikshan Sood has warned the public and labelled Arora a “turncoat”.
Sood’s statement is adding to the turmoil within the BJP. Many party leaders, who were not happy with Arora’s decision to join the party, are now openly expressing their disagreement. Some BJP insiders say that the presence of leaders like Arora in the party weakened the party’s discipline and unity. Arora’s return to the Congress has excited many party leaders and workers. Many within the Congress believe that Arora’s return will give the party political advantage in Hoshiarpur and its surrounding areas. However, some discontent is being heard within the Congress as well. Some party leaders, who were thinking of staking their claim on the Hoshiarpur assembly seat, are now unhappy with Arora’s return. These leaders believe that Arora’s presence may affect their political ambitions.
