Punjab Ekta Party MLAs announce merger with Congress

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 17 : Three MLAs of the Punjab Ekta Party on Thursday announced the party's merger with the Congress Party ahead of the state assembly elections set to take place next year.
MLAs Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Jagdev Singh, and Pirmal Singh met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today and announced the merger.
Taking to Twitter, Khaira thanked Gandhi for blessings and support.
"Many thanks @RahulGandhi ji for warmth and magnanimity. I also express my heartfelt gratitude to @capt_amarinder ji, @harishrawatcmuk ji @rssurjewala ji and @sunilkjakhar ji for their blessings and support-khaira," he tweeted.
Earlier last Thursday, Khaira, along with rebel AAP MLAs Pirmal Singh and Jagdev Singh Kamalu joined Congress in presence of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
"Congress was the only viable platform that can save India from the clutches of the fascist and fanatic rule of BJP. Only Congress could prevent the Badals from looting the state like their previous regimes," Khaira had said.
He said he and his colleagues after due diligence have decided to join the Congress in the "larger interest" of the country and Punjab.
Khaira, who after quitting the Congress had joined the AAP in December 2015 and formed Punjabi Ekta Party, said that for the last one year tried his best to "unite all like-minded leaders" on one platform, to create a Punjab centric regional force but unfortunately he couldn't succeed for various reasons best not disclosed.
Calling AAP chief a 'double faceted and a hypocrite leader', said that joining the AAP was a "political blunder" and he had presumed that Kejriwal would honestly bring about a qualitative change in the political culture of India.