Kanhaiya Kumar, Jignesh Mevani to join Congress today in presence of Rahul Gandhi
Student activist and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani will join the Congress party today, in the presence of Rahul Gandhi. The joining will take place at the party's headquarters in New Delhi today evening. Before this, Kumar and Mevani are likely to go to Shaheedi Park at ITO to garland the statue of Bhagat Singh, a day after the 114th birth anniversary of the freedom fighter. Rahul Gandhi is likely to be present with them there. Youth Congress workers will also brace the occasion in "large numbers" at the venue.
Congress general secretary (organization) KC Venugopal and Gujarat Congress working president Hardik Patel are also likely to be present when Kumar and Mevani join the Congress.
While Kumar is a former president of JNU, Mevani belongs to the Dalit community. There is speculation that Congress could give Kumar a role in Bihar state Congress and Mevani in Gujarat, which will go for polls by the end of next year.
Congress sources said some more young leaders would join the party in the coming days. They said that Kumar and Mevani could be part of a campaign to connect with the youth against the BJP-led government.
The joining is taking place after some prominent Congress leaders left the party in recent months. While former Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev has joined the Trinamool Congres, former union minister Jitin Prasada is now in BJP. Meanwhile, Veteran Goa Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro resigned from the party on Monday.
The resignation of youth leaders had caused some disquiet in the party and sections of the party feel that the induction of Kumar and Mevani will help send a positive message to the party rank and file.
