Chandigarh: In a significant realignment within the state’s political landscape, former Sri Hargobindpur legislator Balwinder Singh Laddi officially defected from the Bharatiya Janata Party to join the ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday. The high-profile induction took place at the party headquarters in Chandigarh, underscoring AAP’s continued efforts to expand its organizational footprint across the Majha region. Laddi was formally welcomed into the party fold by senior leadership, including AAP Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, Punjab AAP President Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, and Rajvir Singh, Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister.
Laddi’s exit represents a substantial setback for the saffron party’s outreach strategies in Punjab, where he was heavily involved in mobilizing rural and marginalized communities. Prior to switching his political allegiance, the veteran leader held prominent administrative and organizational responsibilities within the state cadre, serving actively as the Chairman of the BJP Panchayati Cell and the General Secretary of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha. His departure is expected to impact the opposition party’s grassroots coordination across several rural segments in Gurdaspur and surrounding districts ahead of upcoming local body polls.
Welcoming Laddi into the party, senior AAP leaders stated that his administrative experience and grassroots connect would further fortify the state government’s public welfare and developmental initiatives. Laddi, who has previously been associated with major political traditional parties in the state, stated that he was drawn to the constructive governance model, healthcare reforms, and rural infrastructure push implemented under the current leadership. The development signals shifting political dynamics in Punjab as the ruling dispensation continues to consolidate its position by drawing prominent leaders from national opposition benches.
