Amid talk of Union Minister Harsimart Badal shifting her constituency from Bathinda to Ferozepur, eight SAD councillors from Bathinda have joined Congress within a span of one month.  On Monday, five-time councillor Santosh Mahant quit SAD and joined Congress in the presence of Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal.
Mahant had been a part of SAD for more than 35 years. She said that “PA culture” in SAD had forced her to quit. Mahant said,”Old and senior party workers are being ignored by SAD while the ones who are perfect in the art of sycophancy are being given plum posts. So, I decided to quit the party.”