Expelled from Congress, Barkha Singh joins BJP a day ahead of MCD election

Former head of Delhi Congress women’s s wing Barkha Singh, who was expelled from the party on Friday, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a day later. She was inducted into the party by BJP vice-president Shyam Jaju on Saturday morning.

Last week, former MLA and senior Delhi Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely had joined the BJP.

“Previous leadership would have public support while it is being run presently by a few leaders. I have joined BJP, but I don’t want any position or election ticket. I quit the post not the Congress. After my expulsion, I decided to switch side because they suspended me,” she said.

Singh, a former Congress MLA from RK Puram was also the chief of the Delhi Commission for Woman. Singh said she has joined the BJP because she is impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies.

“I had written to PM on the issue of triple talaq in 2014. I appreciate PM policies,” she said.

On Friday, the disciplinary committee of Delhi Congress had expelled Singh for six years for undertaking anti-party activities just before the MCD election on April 23. The decision had come a day after Singh quit her party post and criticised the Central leadership.

“The four member disciplinary committee in its meeting on Friday unanimously decided to expel Barkha Singh for anti-party activities. A resolution to this effect has been passed,” Aman Panwar, in charge of the party’s legal affairs had earlier said while announcing Singh’s expulsion.

Singh had resigned as president of the women’s wing of Delhi Congress on Thursday, saying she was not leaving the party, but only the post.

Singh had also criticised the Congress leadership for not listening to workers’ grievances.