Congress welcomes back Arvinder Singh Lovely

New Delhi : The Congress Party on Saturday welcomed back Arvinder Singh Lovely as he got reinstated into the party in the presence of Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken, party leaders P. C. Chacko, Randeep Surjewala and others.

Addressing the press, Surjewala said, "I welcome Sardar Lovely. I request Maken ji to carry out the necessary procedure for his homecoming."

Lovely, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April 2017, said that his decision to switch loyalty was taken at a time of distress.

"This was not a happy decision for me. It was a decision taken at a time of distress, during a weak moment; The very next day I had realised that ideologically, I was a misfit there (BJP)," Lovely said.

Meanwhile, Maken informed that the party officials met Congress President Rahul Gandhi earlier in the day.

He also threw some light on the reason behind Lovely's departure from the party in the past, "When the election for corporation was underway, I myself felt that there was communication gap on my part which hurt Lovely ji."

"When sentiments are hurt, talks begin to do rounds," Surjewala added, and further said that Lovely and his family always had unfailing trust in the vision of Congess.

"It is now time to look ahead and not back," Surjewala remarked.