Adding ostentation to Delhi Congress party in the run up to the Assembly polls, prominent Punjabi pop singer Daler Mehndi formally joined the party on Friday. Apart from Mehndi, two sitting MlAs — Ram Singh Netaji and Asif Mohammad Khan, former councillors VK Monga, Indu Mishra, Tilak Raj Agarwal and Vineeta Choudhury joined Congress on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Congress president Jai Prakash Agarwal and in-charge of Delhi affairs Shakeel Ahmed. Former Delhi NCP chief Ramvir Singh Bidhuri was also expected to join on Friday but was inordinately delayed in a traffic gridlock. Congress leaders said more councillors are expected to join ranks.
“We have found strength after the five joined. Two of them are sitting MlAs and Daler Mehndi too has joined the party. We see people cut across religions and those with unstinting faith in Congress ideology joining the fray,” said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Asked whether the new inductees will contest elections, Dikshit was cagey in her response saying the party would take a call on once polls draw near.
She, however, added more are expected to enter the fold soon. “Many councillors have expressed their desire to join the party. let the list come and then we will take it to Congress president Sonia Gandhi,” said Dikshit. Daler Mehndi expressed his desire to work for the party in whatever capacity his seniors deem fit. “I have joined the party to campaign. Whatever my seniors’ orders are, I will follow them,” Mehndi told the waiting media. A resident of Delhi himself since 1980, Mehndi seemed impressed with the development of Delhi by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who has changed the face of the Capital in the last 15 years.
Congress leadership in Delhi feels that by inviting them into the party fold, the Congress is trying to consolidate its position not only among minorities but also looking at redeeming its prospects in the impending lok Sabha elections. Rumours are rife that Matia Mahal MlA Shoaib Iqbal is also planning to join Congress shortly.
Asif Mohammad Khan was an Independent councillor before he fought and won the last Assembly election from Okhla on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) symbol. Asif stated he was Block Congress President in 1993 and that he prized Congress policies.