Shooter Jaspal Rana quits BJP, joins Congress

New Delhi: International shooter Jaspal Rana today quit BJP and joined Congress and is likely to be one of the party’s key campaigners in poll-bound Uttarakhand. The 35-year-old’s admission into the party was approved by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi amid reports that the ace shooter and Asian Games gold medallist was sulking in BJP over denial of ticket in the Assembly polls.[caption id=“attachment_178206” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“New place, new target. Reuters”]  [/caption] Rana had unsuccessfully contested as BJP candidate from Tehri constituency in the state against Vijay Bahuguna of Congress in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Despite being in power in the hill state, BJP had drawn a blank there failing to win any of the five Lok Sabha seats. A close relative of former BJP president Rajnath Singh, Rana was said to be upset with the party high command after his name did not figure in the list of BJP nominees for the 70-member Assembly. The announcement of Rana’s admission in the Congress was made by AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi. Congress general secretary Birender Singh, who is in charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand, said Rana would be one of the key campaigners for the party in the state. PTI