DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Industrialist Nitin Kohli joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday in the presence of senior party leader Manish Sisodia in Punjab's Jalandhar district.

Following his induction into the party, Kohli replaced MLA Raman Arora as halqa in-charge of the Jalandhar Central assembly constituency. The announcement was made by Sisodia, AAP's Punjab in-charge. "It is a matter of happiness that Punjab's industrialists, while keeping faith in the AAP's governance, stand shoulder to shoulder with the party," Sisodia told reporters in Jalandhar.

Raman Arora was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau last week for allegedly indulging in corruption in connivance with an official of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation.

Referring to the arrest, Sisodia said it was unfortunate that Arora broke the trust of people.

AAP is the only party that does not spare corrupt people, regardless of whether they belong to the party or not, Sisodia said, adding that it is the policy of the Bhagwant Mann-led government that whosoever does wrong will not be spared.

He said when the state government learnt that Arora was committing mistakes and breaking people's trust, it took immediate action, without sparing a thought that he was a party MLA.

The former Delhi deputy chief minister said that the Punjab Police and Vigilance Bureau have been given a free hand to take action against the corrupt. The BJP, on the other hand, turns a blind eye on corruption, he said, accusing a Gujarat minister's son of being involved in a Rs 71 crore scam. "While other parties shield wrongdoers, AAP sets an example," he said.

On Kohli's induction, Sisodia said the industrialist is not new to Jalandhar or the AAP.

"Kohli has been supporting our vision for Punjab since the party's inception. Today, his formal induction marks a new chapter for the party in Jalandhar," Sisodia said. "His decision to join the AAP reflects the trust of Punjab's industrial community in our governance and policies. This partnership will drive transformative development in Jalandhar and beyond," Sisodia said.

Expressing his gratitude, Kohli said, "I am deeply impressed by the AAP's focus on industries and their commitment to Punjab's development. This is the party that genuinely prioritises the welfare of citizens. I am eager to contribute to the growth of industries and the welfare of Jalandhar under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann." AAP Punjab president Aman Arora expressed confidence in Kohli's ability to strengthen the party.

(editor@dailyworld.in)