Several prominent politicians including suspended BSP leader and Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali, five time former MP Pappu Yadav joined the Congress on Wednesday. Yadav also announced the merger of his political outfit Jan Adhikar Party. Also a BJP MLA from Jharkhand Jai Prakash Bhai Patel joined the Congress vowed to strengthen the INDIA Bloc.
A former five-time MP from Bihar, Yadav is the husband of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan and is known for having influence in Seemanchal area of the eastern state. He was accompanied by his son Sarthak Ranjan and other party leaders as he announced his decision at the AICC headquarters.
Yadav said the Congress leadership gave him respect and he was joining the party’s fight against “dictatorship” in the country to help save democracy and the Constitution.
Ali said going by the prevailing situation in the country, it is important to join the grand old party in the fight against “divisive” forces. “On one side are divisive forces and on the other are those forces fighting to get ‘nyay’ (justice) for the poor and oppressed sections of society, and the choice is very clear,” Ali said, asserting that time has come to decide where one stands.
“If we have to fight with divisive forces, then one has to strengthen the Congress under the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
Ali, who is the sitting MP from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, was suspended by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for anti-party activities. He is set to contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Amroha constituency on a Congress ticket. Ali was earlier with the Janata Dal (Secular) and had been the former Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka.
Yadav said the Congress leadership gave him respect and he was joining the party’s fight against “dictatorship” in the country to help save democracy and the Constitution. “The honour that the entire Congress family has given is enough for us. Both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have given us a lot of love.
“If anyone has won the hearts of people in India, it is Rahul Gandhi and people love him. He has also raised the concerns of OBCs by raising the issue of holding a caste census. To save this country and its democracy and protect the Constitution, there was no other way except joining Rahul Gandhi’s fight against a dictator,” he said. Mohan Prakash, in-charge of Congress affairs in Bihar, was also present.