JALANDHAR: Sponsored by Pentecostal Christian Parbandhak Committee (PCPC), United Punjab Party, which earlier announced to contest Jalandhar by-election, has now announced to support AAP in the elections.
The party leaders have said that they have been assured by Punjab Finance minister Harpal Cheema to address their issues.
UPP had announced candidature of Surjit Thapar on Monday. "Cheema held a meeting where they presented different issues of the community. We shall test to see what government will deliver in the next 11 months and then in general elections we can take our decision accordingly," said party general secretary Roshan Jospeh in a press conference here on Wednesday in the presence of party president Albert Dua and Thapar.
They also said that there were 1,100 churches in district Jalandhar and there were around three lakh Christians in the district. Dua said that at least 70% of Christian voters would go by their decision and would vote for AAP.
The party was launched on April 3 at pastor Harpreet Deol’s church at village Khojewala in Kapurthala, "To build Christian politics in Punjab." Albert Dua was announced president of the party and it was claimed that different churches and Christian denominations had joined hands to float the party. Pastor Deol heads the PCPC.
Chrstian bodies not on same page
Divisions among Christians also came out as two press conferences were held here on Wednesday. Just before UPP spoke to media, International Masihi Ekta Committee also held a press conference and said that UPP represented only one church (Deol’s) and it was not of the entire community. Committee leaders’ repeatedly mentioned pastor Bajinder Singh’s name while mentioning their social activities. Later UPP leader Roshan Jospeh made a contemptuous remark about the committee owing allegiance to Bajinder.
