Former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal joined the BJP Wednesday and slammed the Congress, which he give up earlier than beginning his new political innings, for factionalism.

The Congress took a swipe on the former Punjab finance minister, saying “clouds (badal) over the Punjab Congress have cleared”.

The five-time MLA lauded the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, saying India has emerged strong, including diplomatically and economically, under their nearly nine-year rule.

Voicing concern over the state of affairs in Punjab, he said the state is “slipping” and the BJP is the one social gathering which may meet the challenges going through it.

On his determination to give up the Congress, he mentioned how can one function in a celebration which is at “conflict with itself”. “Not only in Punjab but in many states, the party is full of factions,” Badal mentioned.

In his resignation letter to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Badal claimed that removed from being acknowledged or appreciated for his efforts to garner funds for the state exchequer, he was “vilified” in the Punjab Congress “for failing to display what can only be described as fiscal recklessness”.

Union minister Piyush Goyal, who was current throughout his becoming a member of ceremony on the BJP headquarters right here, was effusive in his reward of Badal.

Badal is erudite, easy and skilled and was additionally guided by bigger nationwide curiosity in the course of the GST council assembly when he represented Punjab as its finance minister, Goyal mentioned.

It is a golden day and his becoming a member of the BJP will additional strengthen its bond with Sikhs, the senior BJP chief mentioned.

In the resignation letter, which he additionally posted on Twitter, Badal mentioned that he was “disillusioned” with the Congress.

“I devoted every ounce of energy to every office I have had the honour of holding, both in the party and the government. I thank you for having provided me with these opportunities and for the kindness and courtesy you have shown me in the past,” he mentioned within the letter addressing Rahul Gandhi.

“Regretfully, given the prevailing tradition throughout the social gathering and the defiant want within the current course, I not want to be part of the Indian National Congress,” he said.

Badal, who served as the finance minister in the previous Congress government, said, “Seven years ago, I merged the People’s Party of Punjab with your party. I did so with immense hope and an expectation of being integrated into an organisation with a rich history that would allow me to serve both the people of Punjab and its interests to the best of my ability.” “Initial enthusiasm regularly gave method to disappointing disillusionment,” he added.

The nephew of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal joined the Congress in 2016. Last year, former chief minister Amarinder Singh and Sunil Jakhar, among other leaders, joined the BJP.

Badal, in his resignation letter, said, “The task of the finance minister of Punjab is never easy. I inherited an exchequer in shambles. It was truly on the brink of a total collapse.” “I may both select to proceed to disregard numerical realities and pursue populist insurance policies that may unequivocally exacerbate Punjab’s issues to the purpose the place a monetary emergency can be imminent or I may settle for the truth that tough choices have been desperately wanted and assiduously adhere to fiscal self-discipline. I selected the latter,” he wrote.

“In doing so, I convincingly pleaded Punjab’s case to the 15th Finance Commission and the GST Council and prevailed upon them to treat the state favourably. I do not believe I am exaggerating in saying that I almost single-handedly succeeded in garnering an additional Rs 50,000 crore for the state exchequer which would not ordinarily have been acquired,” Badal mentioned.

He claimed the best way the Congress has performed its affairs and brought choices, particularly regarding Punjab, “has been disheartening, to say the least.”

“The coterie of men entrusted with the authority to dictate Delhi’s writ to the Punjab unit of the Congress are far from sound. Instead of striving to reduce internal disagreement in an already divided house, these men acted to further increase factionalism and almost as a matter of policy strengthened the very worst elements within the party,” he wrote.

After Badal misplaced the Bathinda Urban seat within the 2022 state meeting polls, he was not seen within the social gathering’s conferences. The variations between him and the Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring have been identified within the social gathering circles.

He had been with the Shiromani Akali Dal earlier and had additionally been the finance minister within the erstwhile SAD-BJP regime.

Taking a swipe at Badal, Congress normal secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh mentioned on Twitter, “A person who left the Akali Dal to make his personal social gathering after which joined the Congress, was made finance minister for 5 years, then misplaced by a report margin of over 60,000 and thereafter went into hibernation now joins BJP.” “Punjab Congress par se badal chhat gaye hain (clouds over the Punjab Congress have cleared),” Ramesh mentioned in Hindi.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring dubbed Badal’s resignation from the social gathering as “good riddance” and termed him “congenitally power hungry”.

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