New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) Former Haryana MLA and dalit leader Banta Ram Balmiki joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday.

Balmiki, a former leader of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress, was an MLA from Haryana's Radaur assembly seat for two consecutive terms two decades ago.

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He is national president of the Akhil Bharatiya Valmiki Mahasabha.

"He had joined the Congress in 2019 and contested the Haryana assembly polls (same year) from Nilokheri seat but lost by a margin of few votes," senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Gupta told a press conference at party headquarters here.

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He said Balmiki's experience in politics and his stature in society will further strengthen the AAP in Haryana.

"He is a well-known face in Haryana. Particularly in North Haryana and in his society, he has made a special mark," the AAP leader added.

Balmiki said it was a matter of pride for him to join the AAP.

"I will work 18 hours a day to ensure the AAP's victory in the next assembly polls and formation of its government in Haryana," he told the press conference.

AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's "new thoughts and policies" led to the party's stupendous victory in Punjab assembly elections in March, he added.

Of late, several local leaders from Haryana, including those from the Congress, have joined the AAP as the party strengthens its base in the state, with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

In a boost to the AAP, former president of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) and ex Sirsa MP Ashok Tanwar joined the Kejriwal-led party along with his supporters earlier this month.

Tanwar, who was once considered to be close to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, had quit the party in 2019 and joined Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress in November last year.

"People have started hating the BJP-JJP combine government in Haryana due to rampant corruption and 'goonda raj' prevailing in the state. We have new people joining the party everyday," AAP leader Gupta said.

"People want AAP and the Arvind Kejriwal's Delhi model of governance in Haryana as well," he added.

Gupta is party's in-charge of political affairs in Haryana.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)