Senior Congress leader Narender Thakur on Monday resigned from the party and rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Thakur had left the BJP in 2007 following differences with senior leaders and had unsuccessfully contested the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and Hamirpur Vidhan Sabha seat in 2012 against Anurag Thakur and state BJP chief Prem Kumar Dhumal, respectively.
He announced his decision to rejoin the opposition party during Dhumal's press conference here on Monday. The event was attended by senior BJP leaders.
Narender, the middle son of former BJP leader Jagdev Chand Thakur, was considered close to chief minister Virbhadra Singh and health minister Kaul Singh Thakur. The CM had recently told local media that Narender would be the star campaigner of the party from Hamirpur.
There are reports that former BJP minister Ravinder Ravi, who is considered close to Dhumal, played a major role in Narender's homecoming.
Narender told mediapersons that his decision to join the Congress was “wrong”. “I was ignored in the party by top leaders and others, which compelled me to return to the BJP,” he claimed.
Saying that he would work for Anurag's success in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Narender claimed that the party would get a “huge lead” in Sujanpur assembly segment, which was being represented by Congress candidate Rajender Rana before he resigned from the Vidhan Sabha to contest the polls. Rana and Narender belong to Patlander village.
{{/usCountry}}Saying that he would work for Anurag's success in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Narender claimed that the party would get a “huge lead” in Sujanpur assembly segment, which was being represented by Congress candidate Rajender Rana before he resigned from the Vidhan Sabha to contest the polls. Rana and Narender belong to Patlander village.
{{/usCountry}}Welcoming Narender to the party fold, Dhumal said his re-entry would help the party make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister. Political pundits believe that the homecoming would help the BJP consolidate its hold in the district, especially in the Sujanpur assembly segment.