Senior Congress leader and former minister Avtar Singh Brar today joined the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab, saying he was feeling suffocated in the party.
"I feel I am not getting due respect and honour after spending five decades in a party. I feel suffocated and insulted in the Congress," he said.
A prominent leader from Faridkot (Malwa area), 75-year old Brar joined the SAD along with his supporters here in the presence of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his Deputy Sukhbir Badal and other Akali leaders.
Welcoming him into the party-fold, the senior Badal said it was "a historic day" for the SAD as Brar enjoys a "high stature and has a clean image".
"His induction into the SAD will create a tidal wave against the Congress in Malwa," he said.
Brar said he had joined the SAD "unconditionally" to be part of the SAD family.
He attacked the Congress saying there was rampant corruption in the country during the UPA rule.
Brar, who served as Education Minister in 1992, was defeated by SAD's Deep Malhotra in Faridkot in last year's assembly polls.
He has also been an AICC member, PPCC Sr Vice President on two occasions and chief whip of the party during Beant Singh's tenure as Chief Minister in early '90s.
When asked about reports suggesting that his estranged nephew and People's Party of Punjab president Manpreet Singh Badal might join the SAD, the Chief Minister quipped "most of the news in newspapers are false.
