Jignesh Mevani and Kanhaiya Kumar, both of whom shot into the limelight with their fierce and unrelenting opposition to the Narendra Modi government over the past few years, joined the Congress party on Tuesday.
Mevani, currently an independent MLA from Gujarat’s Vadgam, had earlier announced that both he and Kanhaiya Kumar would join the Congress. On his part, Kumar, earlier a national executive council member of the Communist Party of India (CPI), had remained tight-lipped, even as his party comrades rebuffed the speculation over his imminent departure.
On Tuesday afternoon, all doubts cleared. Kanhaiya was officially inducted into the Congress by former party president Rahul Gandhi. Mevani only announced his “affiliation” with Congress, as formally joining would have meant that he would have had to resign from his MLA’s position to which he was elected as an independent candidate.
“We look forward to working with these young leaders, Kumar and Mevani, to defeat the fascist forces ruling this country. Kanhaiya Kumar is a symbol of the fight for freedom of expression in this country. He fought against fundamentalism as a student leader. The joining of kind of dynamic personality will fill the entire cadre of Congress with enthusiasm,” said Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal.
“I could not join the Congress formally due to technical reasons. I am an independent MLA, if I join a party, I may not continue as an MLA. I am part of the Congress ideologically, will fight the upcoming Gujarat polls from Congress symbol. To save democracy and the idea of India, I have to be with a party that lead the Independence struggle and dragged the British out of the country. This is why I am here with the Congress today,” said Mevani.
Kanhaiya Kumar has expelled himself from the CPI, the party’s general secretary D Raja said on Tuesday moments after the former JNU leader quit the Left party and joined the Congress.
He alleged that Kumar was “not truthful” with the Communist Party of India (CPI) leadership and also not “straightforward” in his demands from the party.
“Kumar expelled himself from the party. He was not truthful to the party. The CPI existed long before Kanhaiya came into the party’s fold and will continue to exist after his exit,” Raja told PTI
Raja also questioned Kumar’s faith in the Communist ideology.
“He must be having personal as well as political ambitions and aspirations. It shows he has no faith in the Communist ideology,” the general secretary of the Communist Party of India said.
Kumar had joined the CPI ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election and had unsuccessfully contested from Begusarai in Bihar against Giriraj Singh of the BJP.