Election in Rajasthan: Harish Meena and Habibur Rehman joined the Congress from BJP
In a major setback to the ruling party in Rajasthan, Habibur Rehman, a BJP MLA from Nagaur, joined the Congress on Wednesday.
Mr Rehman switched sides at the Pradesh Congress Committee office in Jaipur soon after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Dausa, Harish Chandra Meena, joined Congress in New Delhi on the same day.
Mr Rehman joined the party in the presence of Ajmer MP Raghu Sharma.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sharma said that the BJP party workers are feeling suffocated and hence are joining Congress to breathe easy.
With Habibur Rehman re-joinining Congress after 10 years, he said that the party welcomes him with open heart on his 'ghar vapasi'.
Meanwhile, Mr Rehman addressing the media said that he has joined Congress without setting any terms and conditions and shall work for strengthening the party.
"I have been connected with Congress since 1959 when my father was 'sarpanch' and he won assembly elections in 1962. I am happy to be back in my family, he added.
Mr Rehman has been a minister in Rajasthan cabinet earlier during Congress government. However, in 2008, he was denied ticket by the Congress and eventually joined BJP.
Thereafter, he contested the 2008 and 2013 elections as a BJP candidate and emerged winner in consecutive elections.
However, on Sunday, when his name did not appear in the BJP's list of candidates, he sent his resignation to state party president Madanlal Saini.
The BJP has given his ticket to Mohan Ram Choudhary from Nagaur.