Disgruntled BJP leader Kirti Azad to join Congress

NEW DELHI: Disgruntled and suspended BJP leader Kirti Azad has decided to join Congress. The MP from Bihar's Darbhanga, who met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday, will join the party on Monday.


"Met @RahulGandhi ji. It was rightly decided that in mark of respect to the martyred soldiers of Pulwama my joining the @INCIndia will now take place on 18th February. We will be in state of mourning for 3 days. Country is bigger than a person or party and soldiers are supreme, Amen (sic)," the former cricketer tweeted after meeting Rahul.




Azad, who was in the 1983 World Cup-winning team, has been representing Darbhanga for the third time and is said to be keen on seeking re-election from the same seat. But, a source said, Congress may field him from South Delhi Lok Sabha seat, which has a sizeable Purvanchali population.

Although AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday that the party had lost all hope of a pre-poll alliance with Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, a Congress source said its top brass had not decided yet.

While the party's candidate selection process in Delhi will officially start on Monday with the meeting of the election committee headed by Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit, a source said four-five names of possible candidates for each of the seven parliamentary constituencies had already been shortlisted, keeping both scenarios in mind.

In case of an alliance, Congress may contest on four seats - New Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Northwest and West Delhi - while letting AAP contest from South, East and Northeast Delhi constituencies, the source said.

"Congress may ask some of its former MPs to contest again if there is an alliance with AAP. But, if there is a triangular contest, the choice of candidates may be different," said a senior leader. The party may then go for some popular names in one or two constituencies while choosing former MLAs or ministers in the rest, he a dded.

Another senior leader said several former MLAs, including ex-ministers in the Sheila Dikshit government, were keen to take on BJP. "Dikshit herself is not keen on joining hands with AAP. She wants to go it alone and field some of her colleagues who had won in four-five assembly elections in Delhi," he said.