Punjab: Setback To BJP As Dalit Leader Verka Quits, To Rejoin Congress

Chandigarh: Raj Kumar Verka, a prominent Dalit leader in Punjab politics, announced his decision on Friday to quit the BJP and return to what he termed as the 'mother party,' Congress.

A former state minister and also the former vice-chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Verka, who addressed reporters in Amritsar, stated that he made a mistake by joining the BJP and that he was going to rectify it. He mentioned that he would be going to Delhi and would address the media from a Congress platform after his return.

BJP not able to accommodate all sections of society: Verka

When asked why he was leaving the saffron party, Verka, who was the state BJP vice president, pointed out that unlike the Congress, the BJP had not been able to accommodate all sections of society. He felt that the BJP did not have any plans for Punjab. Therefore, leaving his 'mother party' (Congress) was a mistake. He also announced that all his associates would also be joining Congress with him.

For the record, Verka had joined the BJP along with several Congress leaders from Punjab in Delhi last year in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This move came after he lost the 2022 assembly election. He had been elected as an MLA from the erstwhile Verka constituency in 2002 and again from the Amritsar West (SC) seat from 2012 to 2022.