Uttarakhand transport minister, son join Congress

“I have returned to my family...It’s my ghar wapsi (homecoming). There cannot be a happier day than today for me. I am feeling very relaxed,” said Arya, a six-time legislator and a prominent Dalit face in Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand transport minister Yashpal Arya and his son Sanjeev on Monday quit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join the opposition Congress. Arya’s exit from the BJP, the party he joined in 2017 along with his son, comes months before polls are due in the state.

Uttarakhand minister and senior BJP leader Yashpal Arya and his son BJP MLA Sanjeev Arya join Congress party.(ANI Photo)

“I have returned to my family...It’s my ghar wapsi (homecoming). There cannot be a happier day than today for me. I am feeling very relaxed,” said Arya, a six-time legislator and a prominent Dalit face in Uttarakhand.

Yashpal Arya won the 2017 election on a BJP ticket from Bajpur constituency in US Nagar district while his son won from the neighbouring Nainital constituency.

The two called on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at his residence before formally joining the party in the presence of several senior leaders including party national general secretary Harish Rawat and national spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said Arya’s switch was motivated by “personal interests”. “Nobody can stop anyone from going to the other side. But I want to make it clear that in the BJP, it is always nation first.”