New Delhi, Aug 20: Giving a boost to Congress in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Amethi, former Union minister Sanjay Singh, who was once a known detractor of Sonia Gandhi, would be joining the party today. Singh, once close associate of late Rajiv Gandhi, will be formally joining the Congress today, AICC general secretary Nawal Kishore Sharma said.

Singh, who had joined BJP a few years back, had unsuccessfully contested against Gandhi in the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi.

Singh, who hails from a erstwhile princely family of Amethi, had later parted with the Congress and had aligned himself with the Janata Dal during V P Singh`s regime. His joining the Congress comes a few months after the party suffered a shock defeat in Gauriganj assembly bye-election that forms part of Amethi parliamentary constituency, which Gandhi represents in the Lok Sabha.

Singh had been a cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh government during the eighties.

Singh met Gandhi at a function earlier today in connection with Rajiv Gandhi birth anniversary.

Bureau Report