Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani To Join Congress On Tuesday In Presence Of Rahul Gandhi: Report

It is being speculated that Congress can give Kanhaiya a key role in the Bihar state unit and the same can be done for Jignesh in Gujarat, which will go for elections by the end of next year. 

New Delhi: Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani are likely to join the Congress party on Tuesday. 

Congress is keen to put up a grand show as he and Mevani will join the Congress in the presence of former party president Rahul Gandhi, news agency ANI reported.

Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani will join Congress at the party's headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday evening, ANI reported citing sources close to the CPI leader. 

According to the report, before joining the party, Kanhaiya and Jignesh can go to Shaheedi Park at ITO to garland the statue of Bhagat Singh. Rahul Gandhi might also be present with them at the venue along with Youth Congress workers who will reportedly be gathered in “large numbers”. 

As per the report, besides Rahul, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal and Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel are also likely to be present when Kumar and Mevani join the Congress. 

It is being speculated that Congress can give Kanhaiya a key role in the Bihar state unit and the same can be done for Jignesh in Gujarat, which will go for elections by the end of next year. 

Congress sources told ANI that said some more young leaders would join the party in the coming days. They also revealed that Kanhaiya and Jignesh could be part of a campaign to connect with the youth against the BJP-led government. 

Meet With Rahul Fuelled Rumours

Recently, the CPI youth leader met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi which fuelled the rumours of him joining the Congress. 

Soon after, CPI general secretary D Raja condemned and refuted the speculation.

“I did ask him about the speculations. And after our conversation, I want to condemn these ongoing speculations. He is the youngest member of our national executive and as an asset for the party,” Raja told Hindustan Times.

The report comes at a time when some prominent Congress leaders have left the party in recent months. The names include former Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev has joined the Trinamool Congress, former union minister Jitin Prasada who is now in BJP.

In the latest blow, Veteran Goa Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro resigned from the party on Monday. 

Sections of the party feel that the induction of Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani will help send a positive message to the party rank and file, ANI reported. 

Kumar is a member of the CPI national executive, a top decision-making body of the party. Mevani is an independent MLA from the Vadgam constituency in Gujarat and convener of Rashtriya Dalit Adhikar Manch (RDAM). 

It may be recalled that in the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election, Congress did not field its candidate against Mevani in the Vadgam constituency.

(With Agency Inputs)