New Delhi: Jan Adhikar Party leader Pappu Yadav joined the Congress on Wednesday and announced the merger of his outfit.
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.
“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,” he said.
“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.
“We will win the 2024 Lok Sabha and certainly 2025 assembly elections. I thank my national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
“I will struggle to strengthen the Congress and work with all my might in this regard,” Yadav also said.
BJP MLA from Jharkhand joins Congress
BJP MLA from Jharkhand Jai Prakash Bhai Patel also joined the Congress on Wednesday and vowed to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
Patel joined the Congress at the party headquarters in the presence of AICC in-charge of Jharkhand Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur, Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam and party’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera.
Patel is an MLA from the Mandu assembly constituency that falls under the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha segment. Earlier he had been an MLA of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.
Patel said he wants to fulfil the dreams his father Tek Lal Mahto, a former MP, had for Jharkhand. He said he was unable to find his father’s ideology in the NDA and has now vowed to work to strengthen the INDIA bloc in the state.
Patel said Jharkhand has resolved to ensure INDIA bloc’s victory in all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
“I have joined the Congress not for any greed or post but for ideology and to fulfil the dreams of my father had for the state,” Patel said.
Patel could be fielded by the Congress from the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls.
Mir said this joining was an indication of the things to come and claimed that many leaders from various parties in Jharkhand and West Bengal were in touch with the Congress for crossing over.
He said some want to join as it is election season but many have been impressed by the party’s ideology and the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo yatras.
