Former Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) leader Jannat Jahan and her husband Anwar-ul-Haq joined the Congress and extended support to the party’s candidate Pawan Bansal. Former Union Minister Manish Tewari who was a contender for the party ticket from Chandigarh with Bansal also extended his support to him with cricketer-turned-politician Mohammad Azharuddin at an event held at Congress Bhawan sector 35. Advertising Speaking at the joining ceremony organised at the Bhawan on Thursday evening, Jannat Jahan said “I had been inspired by the new look pro-poor, pro-minorities manifesto released by Congress President Rahul Gandhi.” She further stated that Bansal was always winning this election, but with her entry it is just that the margin of his victory will increase. Jannat Jahan and her husband were expelled from BSP in 2017. Both were likely to join BSP again but talks with the party did not seem to go well. Following this, they joined Congress again. Jannat Jahan has been the former councillor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. She also contested the Lok Sabha polls but had lost. When asked Former Union Minister Manish Tewari who is now the Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Anandpur Sahib constituency, that he was once a contender for the ticket from Chandigarh Tewari said that whatever the party decides is supreme for him and all are together and united in the election campaign. Advertising “ He (Bansal) is like my elder brother and all my supporters will fully support Bansal to the best of their abilities,” Tewari stated. Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin while wishing Jannat Jahan and Anwar-ul-Haz all the best in their new innings, in a lighter vein said “They had come from playing on a “kachhi pitch” to an “acchhi pitch.” While talking to media persons, Azharuddin added, “I am really happy to be here in Chandigarh. It was last in 1985 that I came here. Bansal ji is very down-to-earth person. People are irritated with BJP because of decisions like GST and demonetization.” The cricketer-turned-politician further said that “Congress party is secular party” . Bansal welcomed the leaders into the party fold and said with their entry the party’s campaign in Chandigarh will get a big boost. Among others present were Punjab Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, Chandigarh Congress President Pardeep Chhabra and senior leaders Subhash Chawla, Devinder Singh Babla, Harmohinder Singh Lucky and Gurpreet Singh Gabi.

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