The BJP, which has been criticized over the farm laws, especially in Punjab, has suffered a major setback in the recent local elections in the state. The ruling Congress has cleared the seven municipal corporations of Punjab, except that it packs most of the panchayat seats.
And now, a viral post on social media claims that Punjab has become a ‘BJP-free state’ after ‘all three BJP MLAs’ in the state joined Congress. “The Punjab meeting became BJP-moekt when all three MLAs joined INC,” reads one such report on Facebook.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found the allegation false. Punjab currently has two BJP MLAs, both of whom have confirmed to us that they are still at the party.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here and here.
AFWA investigation
We could not find any credible media report on BJP MLAs in Punjab joining Congress. According to the website of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, the state currently has two BJP MLAs Arun Narang of Abohar and Dinesh Singh of Sujanpur.
We then reached out to Narang for better clarity on the matter.
Narang refuted the viral claim, saying: ‘The viral claim is unfounded. First, BJP has two MLAs in Punjab and not three. And we did not join Congress. BJP had three MLAs in 2017, including Som Parkash, who was selected from Phagwara. However, he later resigned and contested the Lok Sabha election in 2019. Parkash is now the foreign minister for trade and industry. ”
The Phagwara seat formerly represented by Som Parkash of BJP has become vacant after being elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019. In the by-election, BJP lost its seat to Congress and its power in the House came down to two.
AFWA also spoke to Dinesh Singh, the second BJP MLA in Punjab. ‘I’m a three-time MLA from BJP of Punjab and am still at the party. “The claim that I joined the Congress is false,” Singh said.
MLA and Punjab Congress spokesman Raj Kumar Verka also confirmed to us that the viral post is untrue and that no BJP MLA has recently joined Congress in the state.
Therefore, it is clear that the viral claim that ‘all three BJP MLAs’ have joined Congress in Punjab is false. BJP has only two MLAs in Punjab who are still at the party.
ClaimPunjab became India’s first BJP-free state after all three of its MLAs joined Congress. ClosureBJP has only two MLAs in Punjab and they are still at the party.
JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE
The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.
- 1 Crow: Half true
- 2 crows: mostly lies
- 3 crows: absolutely false
