In a boost to the Janata Dal (United) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, former Bihar Congress president Ramjatan Sinha joined the ruling party along with his supporters.
In doing so, Sinha joined the league of at least four former state Congress presidents who had joined other parties after being removed from top party post.
Earlier, Jagannath Mishra, Tariq Anwar, Mehboob Ali Qaiser and Ashok Chowdhary had quit Congress to join another party.
Sinha who represented Makhdumpur assembly seat thrice but lost from Patna (Central) constituency in 2005, had quit Congress in 2005 after the party removed him from the post of party president. Sinha was removed as PCC chief following Congress’s “dismal performance” in the February 2005 assembly elections.
Sinha, who enjoys clout in the dominant Bhumihar community, was given the primary membership of the JD (U) by its state president Bashistha Narain Singh at a function.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar, who could not attend the function in the afternoon due to tabling of the state budget, later in the evening attended a felicitation programme at the party office.
Welcoming Sinha into the party fold, Kumar said his role in the Congress had been extraordinary. “He has a wide political experience and the JD (U) will benefit from his work style,” said Kumar.
Speaking on the occasion, Sinha acknowledged Kumar’s secular credentials and said he was impressed over the manner he had pushed the state on path of development. “I have not come here on any pre-condition, but if the party wishes, I am willing to contest polls,” said Sinha.
Sinha, if party sources are to be believed, may be the JD (U) candidate from Jehanabad to take on rebel RLSP MP Arun Kumar.
First Published: Feb 13, 2019 13:24 IST
