Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party and joined the Shiv Sena Friday. She joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of the party president Uddhav Thackeray, sources said.

Earlier, after quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders.

Former Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi.

"In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter.

Responding to reporters' questions on whether not getting a Mathura ticket had prompted her departure from Congress, Chaturvedi at Matoshree on Friday sought to make it clear that she had thought of the Sena because she was born and brought up in Mumbai. "I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought," she said.

Congress leader Sanjay Jha was one of the first party leaders to react to the report.

Within 48 hours Shiv Sena , alliance partner of #BJP , has no “goons “ in it. Awesome! Kya baat hai!

Political opportunism touches a new nadir.

The self-righteous bullshit is sickening.

But hey, tomorrow is another day.

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) April 19, 2019

Chaturvedi's decision to join Sena was not received well by netizens, especially because the ideological jump was a rather drastic one. Twitter erupted with a barrage of messages for the former Congress leader:

If #PriyankaChaturvedi had a moral point to make about Congress hooligans, surely lost in joining party inimical to ideology she spouted till yday? And on hooliganism, historically Sena can out thrash Cong any day.

She will be protected. Can't wait for pic greeting Modi n Shah.

— Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) April 19, 2019

After she announced her resignation from Congress over inaction regarding an incident when party workers allegedly "misbehaved" with her, Twitterati had praised her for being upright, but soon after the reports came in claiming that Chaturvedi was joining Sena, Twitter slammed the former Congress leader for not standing her ground.

"She quit over 3 lumpen goons. And so she is joining the SS, a Hindutva party made up of 100 per cent lumpen goons. How quickly some people lose their desire for a secular, inclusive nation when denied a ticket," one Twitter user noted.

Ma'am thoda time lekar ye sab old tweets delete krke aaram se Shiv Sena join kar sakti thi aap,itni bhi kya jaldi thi ?#PriyankaChaturvedi https://t.co/3zOou3WZjv

— Mere Achhe Din Ayenge (@VotHardVotHard) April 19, 2019

If ideology was important, you would've waited for the elections to get over. @priyankac19 You've disappointed us by joining Shiv Sena, an Ally of the BJP... https://t.co/x0anAZYL6g

— Syed ???? (@hameedsyed981) April 19, 2019

From Congress to Shiv Sena in twelve hours. All politics is opportunism, there is no such thing as ideology.. https://t.co/FUQ3lYS34g

— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) April 19, 2019

Let that sink in #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/M1vDECGgeJ

— Poulomi Saha (@PoulomiMSaha) April 19, 2019

And I am joining Shiv Sena today! Priyanka Chaturvedi https://t.co/m7LuaRQsmf

— Vimlendu Jha (@vimlendu) April 19, 2019

That is quite an ideological jump. Nothing surprises in Indian politics anymore - no permanent friends, no permanent enemies https://t.co/SKKb1OWQoi

— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) April 19, 2019

When you quit a party based on issue of harassment by party workers, and then you join a party whose party workers harass women of the entire city. That is called being a politician.

— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) April 19, 2019

She quit over 3 lumpen goons. And so she is joining the SS, a Hindutva party made up of 100 per cent lumpen goons. How quickly some people lose their desire for a secular, inclusive nation when denied a ticket. BMKJ, @priyankac19. Thanks for the lesson in integrity. https://t.co/AoRGmfZ7Nm

— Rupa Gulab (@rupagulab) April 19, 2019

This is like getting divorced one morning and marrying another in the afternoon. Not good for @priyankac19’s credibility. https://t.co/pbbDCURJcr

— Anant Rangaswami (@AnantRangaswami) April 19, 2019

Best wishes to @priyankac19 on her quick change Safronisation!

— Tushar (@TusharG) April 19, 2019

Priyanka Chaturvedi leaves Congress because according to her has it has a goon Collyweston and then proceeds to join Shiv Sena
Irony dies a thousand deaths.

— Sayantan Ghosh (@Le_Sayan) April 19, 2019

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