Manvendra Singh joins Congress ahead of Rajasthan assembly elections

Jaipur: Manvendra Singh, Son of veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh joined the Congress Party ahead of upcoming assembly elections on Wednesday. A press conference was held at AICC Delhi to welcome Manvendra in the Congress party.

Congress leaders believe that Manvendra joining the party will win Rajput votes for the party in the assembly polls.
Several Congress leaders including national president Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot, Avinash Pandey, Harish Choudhary, and Jitendra Singh were present at the press conference held at AICC Delhi on Wednesday. Party members welcomed former BJP leader Manvendra Singh as he joined the Congress.

During the press conference in Delhi, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that many BJP leaders want to join the Congress as they are scared by the situation that BJP has created in the country. PCC chief Sachin Pilot also welcomed Manvendra Singh to the party.

The Sheo MLA Manvendra Singh’s wife Chitra Singh was also present with him at the press conference in Delhi. Last month, Manvendra Singh resigned from the BJP and said that joining the party was a mistake.

On the other hand, BJP leader Rao Rajendra said in a statement on Wednesday that BJP had given an identity to Manvendra Singh and in return he betrayed the party by joining the Congress.

Former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh has been in coma for the four years. He quit BJP to contest as an independent candidate from Barmer in 2014 general election but he lost. The BJP gave his son Manvendra a ticket to contest assembly polls in December 2013.

Rajputs are unhappy with the BJP since it denied ticket to Jaswant in 2014 general election to contest from Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha seat.

Manvendra Singh was suspended from the BJP’s primary membership after he campaigned for his father instead of the party’s candidate.

Manvendra Singh announced last month, that he will join the Congress party.