BJP leader Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra joins Congress, meets Rahul Gandhi in presence of other party members

New Delhi: Rajasthan BJP MLA Manvendra Singh, who is the son of former Union minister Jaswant Singh, joined the Congress on Wednesday ahead of assembly elections in the state. Singh met Congress president Rahul Gandhi before joining the party in the presence of leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Avinash Pande and Randeep Surjewala. [caption id=“attachment_5395281” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Congress President Rahul Gandhi welcomes veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh. PTI[/caption] The party announced the move at a press conference. Congress leaders believe his joining the party will help bring in Rajput votes in the assembly polls. Singh (54), who won Barmer’s Sheo constituency as the BJP candidate in 2013 assembly elections, had announced at a rally last month that he is leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party. “Kamal ka Phool Badi Bhool’, he had said then, claiming that going with the BJP’s election symbol, the lotus, was a “big mistake”. Congress leaders claimed his move will help bring Rajput votes to the party-fold while the BJP said the MLA’s “politically wrong decision” will have no impact on the ruling party. “Manvendra Singh will join the Congress tomorrow in Delhi in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi,” Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot told PTI on Tuesday. “There is a long list of leaders quitting the BJP and the party should introspect why this is happening,” he said. ”We are welcoming Manvendra Singh and this will strengthen the party.” He added the party will ensure his active participation in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.