Jalandhar, Jun 25 (IANS): In the run-up to the Jalandhar West (Reserved) Assembly bypoll in Punjab, the Congress and the BJP on Monday had a setback as several of their local leaders joined the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

AAP state President and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann formally inducted all leaders into the party in the presence of AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat and welcomed them into the party.

Many local leaders of Jalandhar, including Jalandhar Municipal Corporation councillors Rajiv Onkar Tikka and Darshan Bhagat joined the AAP.

In a statement, Chief Minister Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party is the first choice of the people of Jalandhar (West). This time the people here will answer the betrayers and get their security deposits forfeited, he added. All leaders who joined the party thanked the Chief Minister and said that they would work selflessly for the party. They promised that in this election they would work hard with full dedication to make Bhagat win.

Both the AAP and the BJP have fielded turncoat candidates for the bypoll.

While the ruling party announced BJP rebel Bhagat as its candidate, the BJP announced former AAP MLA Sheetal Angural as its nominee.

Bhagat, who left the BJP and joined the AAP in April 2023, is the son of former minister Chuni Lal Bhagat.

The bypoll will be held on July 10 and counting of votes will take place on July 13.

The by-election was necessitated following the resignation of Angural.

Bhagat had unsuccessfully contested the Jalandhar West seat in 2017. By fielding him, the AAP is looking to woo 30,000 Bhagat community voters. Angural, who had joined the BJP on March 27 in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, had defeated then Congress candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku by 4,253 votes.