New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS): The BJP feels that the joining of so many leaders from the opposition camp will help the party to create an atmosphere in its favour in the upcoming assembly polls in Punjab as it happened in West Bengal where the number of its MLAs rose to 77 from three.
Admitting the fact that joining of the turncoats does not ensure victory, a senior party functionary said that it helps in creating a positive atmosphere in favour of the BJP. "When so many leaders from the opposition camp join a particular party, common voters believe that public sentiment is with that particular party, which helps in winning more seats and also increasing the vote share," he said.
Another BJP leader said that everyone knows that all those who recently joined or will join the party in the coming days will not get a ticket or win the election. Comparing the large number of leaders from other parties joining before the West Bengal assembly polls earlier this year, he said, "A large number of leaders from Trinamool Congress (TMC) had joined the BJP. A few of them contested the West Bengal assembly polls but could not win, but they created an atmosphere in favour of the party that helped us to increase our strength from three to 77 in the assembly."
He added that similarly in Punjab these leaders who joined the BJP will establish the party as a political force to reckon with. "Currently we are a party with three MLAs in the Punjab assembly and our presence is only in the urban pockets. With the joining of leaders from different parties, regions and background we will make our presence felt across the state. We have created an organisational structure across the state after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) broke its alliance with us. These new leaders further strengthen our party and organisation in Punjab," he said.
On Wednesday, three leaders from the SAD and one from the Congress joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. On Tuesday, former Indian cricketer Dinesh Mongia joined the BJP. Two Congress MLAs, Balwinder Singh Laddi and Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa and 13 others also joined the saffron party along with cricketer Mongia.