Another Setback For Congress, Himachal Working President Join BJP

New Delhi: In yet another jolt to Congress, senior leader Harsh Mahajan has joined Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday. Mahajan was inducted into the party at BJP headquarters in the presence of union minister Piyush Goyal and party general secretary Vinod Tawde.

Mahajan's exit as the Himachal Pradesh Congress working committee comes at a time when the state is scheduled to undergo the elections. Mahajan has said that the reason for his exit from Congress is due to lack of direction and leadership. He has served as the MLA from Chamba assembly constituency for three consecutive terms. While Congress has suffered a major setback in Himachal Pradesh, it is yet to recuperate from the ongoing crisis in Rajasthan.

Speaking at BJP headquarters here in New Delhi, Mahajan said, "Congress is directionless...Neither there's a leader nor a vision in Congress in Himachal Pradesh...What is left of Congress on a national level, Rahul Gandhi has completely wiped out the Congress."

Mahajan was associated with Congress for 45 years. He is the son of former Himachal Vidhan Sabha speaker and ex-Cabinet minister Des Raj Mahajan and was also president of the party's youth wing between 1986 and 1995.

Meanwhile Himachal Pradesh Congress president Pratibha Singh has accused BJP of playing "politics of polarisation" and without naming Mahajan said due to some people leaving the grand old party will not have an adverse effect on the morale of the people.

She has accused Mahajan of backstabbing and breaking the trust of Congress for which people of Himachal would never forgive him. The state is scheduled to undergo assembly elections later this year in November. The dates, however, is yet to be announced by the election commission.