Congress MLA from Uttarakhand Rajkumar jumps ship to BJP

New Delhi: Congress MLA from Uttarakhand Rajkumar on Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ahead of the next year's Assembly polls in the state.

The Congress lawmaker from Purola Assembly constituency under Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand joined the BJP at the party headquarters here in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and state BJP chief Madan Kaushik.

Pradhan welcomed him to the the saffron party, saying that his joining was a “signal” that the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state CM will win the upcoming Assembly polls.

Dhami said Rajkumar is a grassroots leader and his joining would further strengthen the party.

Rajkumar said that he has joined the BJP inspired by the vision of PM Modi and the developmental works done by the BJP governments at the Centre and State.

“BJP is working towards making the people belonging to the lower castes self-reliant. These people have been made dependent on subsidies by the Congress since independence so that they can never stand on their feet,” he said.

Kumar had won the seat in 2017 Assembly polls as a Congress nominee.

Earlier this week, Independent MLA from Dhanolti Pritam Singh Pawar had joined the BJP. (UNI)