This will be the former Delhi Congress chief’s second stint in the BJP, which he left to re-join the Congress in 2018 

Former Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely with other leaders joining BJP in the presence of Union Minister Hardeep Puri at BJP Headquarters on May 4, 2024.  | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

By SATVIKA MAHAJAN

On Saturday, less than a week after Arvinder Singh Lovely exited from his post as the Delhi Congress president, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This will be his second stint in the BJP after he left it to re-join the Congress in 2018. 

“Everyone knows the condition in which I left the Congress. I had resigned with honesty and decided to sit at home. Many of my supporters, whom I met, urged me to not sit at home and join a strong party to fight for Delhi,” Mr. Lovely, speaking to the media shortly after he joined the BJP, said.  

The former Delhi Minister had been at the helm of the Congress’ Delhi unit since August 2023. He was seen as being instrumental in injecting life back into the party by uniting its old guard. 

Along with Mr. Lovely, former Congress MLAs Raj Kumar Chauhan, Naseeb Singh, Neeraj Basoya, and Amit Malik also joined the BJP. 

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and senior BJP leaders issued BJP membership slips to the Congress leaders. Mr. Puri congratulated everyone on joining the BJP, stating that the popularity of the dignitaries in joining the BJP was undeniable, and their inclusion would no doubt strengthen the BJP in Delhi. He expressed hope that their joining the party would further bolster the BJP’s prospects in the ongoing elections.

This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.