New Delhi: Adding glitz to Delhi Congress party in the run up to assembly polls, prominent singer Daler Mehndi on Friday the party.
Apart from Mehendi, two sitting MLAs Ram Singh Netaji of Bahujan Samaj Party and Mohammad Asif joined Congress as did former NCP MLA Ram Singh Bidhuri and former BJP councilor V K Monda also joined the party.
Congress leaders said more councilors are expected to join soon.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said "we have found strength after the five of them joined. Two of them are sitting MLAs and Daler Mehndi too has joined the party. So, we see people from all religions and those who have faith in Congress ideologies joining the party."
Asked whether the newly-joined people will contest the elections, Dikshit said when the polls come, the party will think about it.
She, however, added more people are expected to join the party. "Many councillors have also expressed their desire to join the party. Let the list come and then we will take it to Congress president Sonia Gandhi," said Dikshit.
Daler Mehndi expressed his desire to work for the party in whatever role he is ordered by his seniors. "I have joined the party for campaign. Whatever my seniors order me, I will follow that," Mehndi told reporters.
Showering praise on both Sheila Dikshit and Sonia Gandhi, Mehndi said he has stayed in Delhi since 1980 and he has no house except Delhi.
"I like Sheila Dikshit very much as she has made Delhi a
heaven. She has brought in metro, airport terminals and bus terminals. If one looks at Delhi 15 years back, there was nothing. Now, it is leaving behind the likes of Dubai, American cities and others. It is also because of Sonia Gandhi that the country is progressing. There are so many difficulties faced by the country at present but still she is taking the country forward," Mehndi said.
Congress party in-charge for Delhi elections, Shakeel Ahmad, said the decision whether the newly-joined people will contest elections will be taken by various election committees as well as the Central Election Committees (CEC).
He said the elections this time too will be conducted under the leadership of Shiela Dikshit as she is the chief minister. But what happens after the elections will be decided after consultation with the elected members.
"This has been a tradition of the party. The issue is discussed by the elected members and then the party high command takes a decision. Heading three successive governments, Sheila Dikshit has changed the map of Delhi," said Ahmad.
PTI
