BJP MLA Manvendra Singh joins Congress

NEW DELHI: Former BJP Union minister Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh and former Maharashtra BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh on Wednesday joined the Congress.

Both the leaders were formally inducted at a function in the AICC headquarters here.

Singh, an MLA quit the BJP in September while Deshmukh had stepped down as an MLA earlier in the month over the ‘Rafale scam’.


AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot said, “A man (Jaswant Singh) who had been the country’s finance minister, defence minister and external affairs minister, who was prime ministerial material, has been targeted systematically by the BJP in pursuance of a conspiracy. We all know how the BJP treats its veteran leaders. There are many in the BJP who are being targeted and are willing to join the Congress.”


Singh said he had joined the Congress due to the persistent targeting by the Vasundhra Raje-led BJP goverenment in Rajasthan, especially after his father was denied a party ticket in the Lok Sabha polls.


Deshmukh said, “The Rafale deal is clear-cut case of criminal misconduct and misuse of office of the prime minister. It is undermining the PMO for crony capitalism. I want to fight the BJP government.”