The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced that two-time MLA Budh Ram had been appointed as the state working president of its Punjab unit on Monday. The newly-appointed state pre is a legislator from the Budhlada Assembly constituency in the Mansa district. This new appointment comes as the party prepares for the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2024.
Soon after the party’s announcement, Budh Ram said: “I will fulfil this duty with diligence. Block samiti and municipal corporation elections are due in Punjab this year and the Lok Sabha polls are next year. I will work hard to strengthen the party’s organisational set-up and make it victorious in the upcoming elections.”
Known among supporters as Principal Budh Ram, the 66-year-old joined the AAP in April 2016 following his retirement. He holds five master’s degrees in economics, political science, Punjabi, religion, and education.
The two-time MLA won the 2017 polls with a close margin of 1,276 votes, defeating Congress candidate Ranjit Kaur Bhatti. In 2022, he won against the Shiromani Akali Dal’s Dr Nishan Singh Kauldhar with a margin of 51,691 votes. However, his camp had been disappointed when he was not inducted into the Bhagwant Mann-led cabinet as Education Minister. Apart from Budh Ram, six other office bearers, including four state vice presidents of the state unit, were announced. Batala MLA Amansher Singh Kalsi, Urmar MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill, Muktsar legislator Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar and Khanna MLA Tarunpreet Singh Sond were appointed state vice presidents. Party leader Jagroop Singh Sekhwan has been appointed as state general secretary, while Dharamkot legislator Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhos has been appointed as the state president of the party’s youth wing. “Hope you will serve Punjab diligently,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wrote in a tweet congratulating the new office-bearers.
