Amritsar: In a significant political shift ahead of upcoming state-level developments, senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Anil Joshi is reportedly preparing to join the Indian National Congress. According to multiple sources, Joshi held a meeting with senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal in New Delhi, where he is said to have expressed his willingness to align with the party.
Joshi, who served two terms as the MLA from Amritsar North under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2007 to 2017, has had a turbulent political journey in recent years. After parting ways with the BJP, he joined the SAD, only to resign from the Akali Dal in November 2024. He briefly returned to the party in June this year during the Ludhiana West bypolls.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Joshi contested on a SAD ticket from Amritsar but failed to secure a win. His repeated political realignments and high-profile meetings now signal a potential shift to the Congress, a move that could influence regional dynamics in Punjab.
While no official announcement has been made by the Congress party or Joshi himself, party insiders suggest that the formal induction could happen in the coming days.
Joshi’s re-entry into active politics through the Congress fold may bring both experience and regional influence, particularly in Amritsar and surrounding constituencies, where he has maintained a support base over the years.
