Rajasthan BJP MLA Habibur Rahman rejoins Congress after a decade
Jaipur, Nov 14: In a setback to Rajasthan's ruling BJP ahead of the December 7 Assembly elections, the party's Nagaur MLA Habibur Rahman on Wednesday returned to the Congress after a decade.
Rahman joined the Congress at the party's office in Jaipur in presence of Ajmer MP Raghu Sharma and other leaders, the same day BJP's Dausa MP Harish Chandra Meena joined the grand old party in New Delhi.
Rahman was initially a member of the Congress and was a state minister between 2001 and 2003 during the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government. He joined the BJP in 2008 after he was denied a ticket by the Congress.
He won the 2008 and the 2013 Assembly elections as BJP candidate. But when the BJP denied him poll ticket this time and gave nomination to Mohan Ram Choudhary from Nagaur, Rahman left the ruling party.
"I have returned home today. There is no condition for joining the party," he said at a press conference.
On whether he will contest the Assembly elections, Rahman rhetorically asked, "Who does not want to contest elections?"
However, Congress MP Raghu Sharma said the party will release its list of candidates for the Rajasthan polls only after the final approval of party president Rahul Gandhi.
Meanwhile, slamming Harish Chandra Meena for joining the Congress, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena termed the former "an opportunist" and claimed that this would not have any impact of the saffron party's performance in the state election.
"There will be no impact. People know who is an opportunist and opportunists can go anywhere," Kirodi Meena said.
Hitting back, Congress' Raghu Sharma said, "Kirori Meena's wife Golma Devi was a minister in the previous Congress government. He contested the 2013 assembly polls as the candidate of National People's party and then joined the BJP. He became Rajya Sabha MP and now his wife was given ticket by BJP in its first list. He is the finest example of opportunist."
Harish Chandra Meena joined the Congress in the national capital in presence of former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the party's state unit chief Sachin Pilot and AICC's state in-charge Avinash Pande.
A former IPS officer, who headed state police during the Ashok Gehlot government, Harish Chandra Meena had joined the BJP in March 2014 ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and was pitted against his brother Namo Narain who was then a Union minister.
He had won the Dausa seat by defeating his nearest rival Kirodi Lal Meena, who was then a candidate of National People's Party by a margin of 45,404 votes while Namo Narain Meena had stood third.
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Eid celebrated across Kerala with prayers, greetings
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Kochi (PTI): Eid al-Fitr was celebrated across Kerala on Friday with religious fervour and community gatherings.
Known locally as Cheriya Perunnal, special prayers were held in mosques, while Eidgahs were organised in cities including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Malappuram.
A large number of faithful from the Muslim community attended the morning prayers and exchanged greetings before returning home to celebrate the festival with family and friends.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Even amid the busy election campaign season, political leaders extended greetings to the public on the occasion.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan, in a Facebook post, said the faithful were celebrating Eid al-Fitr after a period of rigorous fasting and devotion.
“The month of fasting was a time for every believer to attain spiritual and physical purification. Along with self-discipline and inner cleansing, it was also a time to extend help and compassion to fellow human beings. Islam is a faith rooted in kindness, which teaches that those who have must give to those in need—and to practice it in everyday life,” he said.
According to him, sacrifice, love and gratitude are the core messages of Eid al-Fitr, and he extended warm Eid Mubarak wishes to believers across the world.
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had greeted the people of the state on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr on Thursday.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a Facebook post, extended his wishes.
“On this joyous occasion, I extend my heartfelt Eid greetings to all my Muslim brothers and sisters. May this festival fill everyone’s lives with happiness, peace and prosperity,” he said.
He added that people should come together to build an inclusive society that ensures the growth and well-being of every family.
“Once again, warm Eid wishes to all,” he said.
Education Minister V Sivankutty shared a picture of attending an Eid function on his Facebook page and wrote, “Equality and brotherhood. Warm wishes.”
Muslim League state president Sayyid Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal said the faithful had attained spiritual growth through a month-long period of fasting and devotion.
“Eid is also a celebration of brotherhood and love. This day is observed to ensure prosperity for all,” he said.
Thangal added that zakat, a form of charity, is practised on Eid al-Fitr to ensure that no one goes hungry.
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