Shatrughan Sinha 'painfully' leaves BJP to join Congress, calls himself 'supporter of Nehru-Gandhis'

Shatrughan Sinha’s association with the BJP, which fell out in the recent past, is all set to end as the actor-turned-politician is scheduled to join the Congress on April 6.

Describing himself a great admirer of Nehru-Gandhi family, Shatrughan met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and said he will join the Congress during the auspicious period of Navratri that begins on April 6.

RELATED

The development came after Shatrughan, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was denied party ticket from Patna Sahib parliamentary constituency in Bihar. He is currently the sitting Member of Parliament from the seat.

“Democracy within the BJP does not exist any longer. Dictatorship prevails instead. That's why I have decided to join the Congress Party during the auspicious period of Navaratri,” he said.

Later, he tweeted that he was "painfully, on the way out of BJP".

"Painfully....on the way out of BJP....But hopefully in the best direction under the dynamic leadership of my dear friend Lalu Yadav and the desirable, most talked about leader from the Nehru Gandhi family... the true family of nation builders...." he tweeted.

Sinha also said he would contest from the same seat. "In every situation, the location will be the same Patna".

Bihar Congress in-charge Shakti Singh Gohil said that Sinha would work as the 'star leader and star campaigner' of the party.

Associated with the BJP since the 1990s, Sinha fell out with the party's leadership in the recent past, complaining it has become a "one-man show and two-man army"-- a reference apparently to the Prime Minister and his trusted aide and party president Amit Shah.

Sinha has repeatedly asserted he would seek a re-election from the Patna Sahib seat though it may be as a candidate of a different party.

Sinha had served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and is serving his second consecutive term as MP from Patna Sahib.