Ahead of the crucial municipal elections in the national Capital, the Congress suffered a jolt after former Delhi Congress president and ex-Minister Arvinder Singh lovely in the then Sheila Dikshit Government and former Congress youth leader Amit Malik joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.
lovely, who had held crucial portfolios in Sheila Dikhit Government for many years, took the primary membership in the presence of BJP national president Amit Shah.
lovely’s decision to join BJP comes after resentment within the Delhi Congress over ticket distribution for the upcoming MCD polls.
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari welcomed lovely in the party fold and said lovely’s presence will strengthen the party in several areas of East Delhi.
Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Member of Parliament and vice president of the Election Committee, said the BJP is a large family where all get opportunity to serve society and the nation and the members work for social welfare and not for party posts.
His joining the BJP is being seen by many as a big setback to the Congress.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Dikshit called lovely’s decision to join the BJP unfortunate and was quoted as saying that “when leaders who get everything from the party leave, then whom do you trustIJ”
Dikshit, who served Delhi as Chief Minister of the national Capital for 15 years, also said the current Delhi Congress chief is not able to reach out to leaders as is needed and that is a reason for people leaving the party.
lovely was elected as the general secretary of Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress in 1990. In 1998 he was elected to the Delhi legislative Assembly and was the youngest member in the House. He became a Cabinet Minister in Diskhit-led Congress Government in 2003 and also held important portfolios of Education, Tourism , PWD, Transport, Revenue and Power.
lovely was upset with the Congress for sidelining him after the 2015 Assembly election and was apparently miffed with the Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken. Being a popular face in Delhi political, lovely will add strength to BJP’s campaign in the national capital.
A few days earlier, three-time Congress MlA and former Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly, Amrish Gautam, had also joined the BJP.