Suspended Bhartiya Janta Party Kirti Azad met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday and said he will join the opposition party on Monday. Cricketer turned Politician Kirti Azad was to officially join the Congress on Friday, but the programme was cancelled in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, sources familiar with the Development said.
Former Cricketer Azad said in a tweet, “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 February 18 we will be in state of mourning for 3 days country is bigger than a person or party and soldiers are supreme,” Azad said.
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 Ameen
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) February 15, 2019
Significantly, Azad, a former India cricketer, was elected from Darbhanga in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He has been suspended from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for alleged anti-party activities. Azad who represent Darbhanga Parliamentary seat in Bihar is expecting to seek another term from the seat, however, sources claimed that Congress may field former cricketer from South Delhi seat which has a relatively good population from purvanchal.
Kirti Azad and AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal backed each other on DDCA Issue. Both Azad and Kejriwal yesterday settle in Delhi High Court in DDCA Defamation Case. Both withdraw their allegedly defamatory statements made against cricketing body DDCA, which in turn told the court that it was withdrawing its ₹5 crore defamation suit against them.
READ: Delhi High Court Disposes of DDCA Defamation Case as Kejriwal, Kirti Azad settle the matter
Although AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal said that Congress has ‘almost’ declined to go with us in an alliance. However, as claimed by TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal wants an alliance with Congress in Delhi to take on Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) for upcoming Lok Sabha Polls 2019.
Kejriwal’s and Mamata’s comments came a day after both participated in the Opposition party meeting which was also attended by Congress President. The Meeting brings Congress President Rahul Gandhi and AAP‘s Arvind Kejriwal together as both were seen sharing the room for the first time.
Congress Candidate Selection Process for Lok Sabha Polls is slated to begin from Monday. Sources claimed that Sheila Dixit, who was again reinstated as the DPCC Chief likely to be one of the candidates of the party in the National Capital.
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 as reported by The Times of India.
However, Congress Top Brass is yet to take any call on Alliance with Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.
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