Two-time MLA Anil Joshi joins Congress; here's how his switch may shakeup Punjab politics
Anil Joshi joined the Congress on Wednesday in the presence of senior leaders including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.
Former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister and two-time MLA from Amritsar North, Anil Joshi, joined the Congress on Wednesday. Known for his influence in Amritsar and past stints in the BJP and Akali Dal, Joshi’s return to active politics via the Congress seems to reshape future electoral contests. Joshi joined the Congress on Wednesday in the presence of senior leaders including Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.
The move came after a recent meeting with Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal in Delhi. “Given the current circumstances, I believe only the Congress can lead Punjab toward development,” Joshi said at the event, thanking the party for giving him an opportunity to contribute.
A gamechanger for Congress?
Anil Joshi’s significance lies not only in his ministerial experience, having held portfolios like Local Bodies and Medical Education but also in his electoral weight, where he was elected MLA twice (2007, 2012) on a BJP ticket. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Amritsar seat was won by Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla with just 28.18% votes, defeating AAP's Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (23.73%).
Taranjit Singh Sandhu, the BJP’s candidate stood third with 22.88%, while Anil Joshi, contesting on a SAD ticket, drew away a significant 18% of votes. Had Joshi not been in the fray, Sandhu would likely have won.
Anil Joshi’s political journey: From BJP to SAD to Congress
Joshi was expelled from the BJP in 2021 after criticising the Centre over the handling of the farmers' protest. He then joined the Shiromani Akali Dal, only to resign in November 2023 after his Lok Sabha loss.Surprisingly, in June 2024, he rejoined SAD briefly in the presence of Sukhbir Singh Badal, before making a decisive switch to the Congress just three months later.
Punjab Congress leaders were quick to hail Joshi’s induction. “He has a big name in Punjab, and I welcome him,” said party chief Raja Warring. Senior leaders including Partap Singh Bajwa, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and Gurjeet Singh Aujla were present, signalling internal unity behind the move.