Daljit Singh Kohli with Narendra Modi in Amritsar
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's family members have said they are "shocked" to learn about his step-brother Daljit Singh Kohli's "extremely wrong" and "shameful" decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's step-brother joins BJP)Speaking in Dr Singh's support, his nephew Mandeep Singh told reporters in Amritsar today, "The whole family is shocked to learn of Daljit ji's decision. We have been associated with the Congress from the very beginning and will remain faithful to them always. What he has done is extremely wrong. This is shameful and should not have been done." (
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"We are six sisters and four brothers. Except for Daljit Singh, all family members stands with Dr Manmohan Singh," his brother Surjit Singh Kholi added.
Mr Kohli joined the party yesterday at a joint BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) rally in Amritsar in the presence of its prime ministerial candidate
Narendra Modi, who welcomed him.
"Dr Manmohan Singh's brother has joined BJP and this will increase our strength. I welcome him to the BJP. This is not a party only of membership but of relationship. We will form a close relationship," Mr Modi said.
Mr Kohli's induction is expected to give a major talking point to the SAD-BJP combine to embarrass the Congress in the middle of the general election.
The alliance is battling anti-incumbency to gain an edge over its rival Congress in Punjab.
Opinion polls have predicted a cliff-hanger in the state's 13 seats, which go to polls on April 30.