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Home >> Lucknow

Priyanka coup: Sitting BJP MLA in Congress fold

| Friday | 15th February, 2019

A Dalit leader, Rahi enjoys influence in the Sitapur hinterland. This comes just 24 hours after hammering out an alliance with OBC-dominated Mahaan Dal for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. It was virtually a homecoming for both Bhadana and Rahi, who were earlier Congressmen.The duo joined Priyanka in her in two-minute silence in remembrance of the Pulwama martyrs. Rahi served as Union minister of state for home during Narasimha Rao’s government and was MP from Mishrikh seat in Sitapur. LUCKNOW: Congress mascot for Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrapped up her debut press conference in 2 minutes to observe silence in memory of the marytrs of Pulwama , but not before staging a coup on the ruling BJP by inducting four-time MP and sitting BJP MLA Avtar Singh Bhadana into the Congress fold.Bhadana, a Gujjar leader, represents Meerapur constituency in Muzaffarnagar.

LUCKNOW: Congress mascot for Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrapped up her debut press conference in 2 minutes to observe silence in memory of the marytrs of Pulwama , but not before staging a coup on the ruling BJP by inducting four-time MP and sitting BJP MLA Avtar Singh Bhadana into the Congress fold.Bhadana, a Gujjar leader, represents Meerapur constituency in Muzaffarnagar. This comes just 24 hours after hammering out an alliance with OBC-dominated Mahaan Dal for 2019 Lok Sabha polls."Jaise aapko yeh pata hai ki yeh karyakram rajanaitik charcha ke liye rakha gaya tha, lekin Pulwama mein humla hua hai, jisme jawan shaheed hue hain, Hum anuchit samajhte hai ki hum apni rajnaitik charha kare. (This event was supposed to be political, but because of the tragedy in Pulwama in which our soldiers have been martyred, I think it's not an occasion to discuss it)," Priyanka told reporters.Besides Bhadana, Congress had another big surprise up its sleeve when four-time MP and father of a sitting BJP MLA, Ram Lal Rahi , announced his entry into the grand old party. It was virtually a homecoming for both Bhadana and Rahi, who were earlier Congressmen.The duo joined Priyanka in her in two-minute silence in remembrance of the Pulwama martyrs. She regretted her truncated press interaction, but with an assurance that she would return to Lucknow in a few days.Earlier, UP Congress president Raj Babbar also said the joining of two prominent leaders would not be celebrated by the party in the wake of terror attack in Kashmir.Bhadana’s induction is seen as significant for Congress in west UP as he’s a prominent Gujjar leader and four time MP — three times from Haryana’s Faridabad and once from Meerut. His brother Kartar Singh is a Rashtriya Lok Dal leader. Avtar lost to BJP’s Krishan Pal Gurjar in 2014 Lok Sabha election and later joined INLD. In 2017, he switched over to BJP to successfully fight the assembly polls.If Bhadana’s induction will help fortify Congress in west UP, Rahi has been a strategic choice strengthen party’s fortunes in Awadh region. Rahi served as Union minister of state for home during Narasimha Rao’s government and was MP from Mishrikh seat in Sitapur. A Dalit leader, Rahi enjoys influence in the Sitapur hinterland. Sources said that more such additions including zonal leaders may take place soon.

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