This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.

Udit Raj, Dropped From BJP's Candidate List, Joins Congress

The BJP had replaced Raj from the North West Lok Sabha constituency with singer Hans Raj Hans
Twitter/INCIndia

Disgruntled BJP MP from northwest Delhi Udit Raj joined the Congress on Wednesday, a day after being denied ticket by the saffron party.

Raj joined the Congress after meeting party president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday morning. On Wednesday, Raj tweeted he would not have been “hurt” had the BJP told him earlier that he would not be given a ticket.

The BJP had replaced Raj from the North West Lok Sabha constituency with Punjabi Sufi singer Hans Raj Hans.

For the latest elections news and more, follow HuffPost India on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our newsletter.

After joining the Congress, Raj said, “I always opposed the BJP’s policies,” according to NDTV. “One thing is clear now, the BJP is anti-Dalit. My fault was that I wasn’t deaf and mute. If anybody is deaf and mute in this party, he can even become the Prime Minister,” he was further quoted as saying in the report.

On Tuesday, he had said the BJP might have decided to drop him for protesting against the apex court’s order that nullified the stringent provisions of the Dalit protection law.

The former BJP MP had often held views contrary to the party’s stand, especially during the Sabarimala issue and ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by Dalit organisations last year.

Earlier this month, he was at the centre of controversy after being caught in a sting done on several MPs, which purportedly showed lawmakers accepting use of black money for contesting polls.

(With PTI inputs)

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.