The Congress could do nothing but watch as its latest catch sang praises of Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee. Bollywood singer Ravindra Jain was supposed to be inducted into the Congress. But today, he ended up singing praises of the PM calling him a non-controversial person, and refused to be pinned down on who he would campaign for.‘‘I will campaign for the country. And I will spread the message of sarva dharma sambhav,’’ he said, adding that he was above party politics.During the course of the press conference, Jain also revealed that he would be singing for LS Speaker Manohar Joshi at a function in Mumbai. When asked, he said he had worked for the BJP but clarified that he had not joined the BJP. Jain is best known for composing music for Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana.‘‘I have always kept myself away from party politics and I will praise those who protect the country,’’ he said.Congress leader Salman Khursheed said the musician was not joining the party but would oppose those anti-secular forces who are dividing the country along religious lines. Meanwhile, Lt Gen (retd) O.P. Kaushik, former Vice-Chancellor of Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, today joined the Congress.Kaushik said he had met Sonia Gandhi, adding: ‘‘The future of the country is in the party’’. Almost 29 retired generals and 120 officers of the rank of brigadier and colonel extended support to the Congress in the presence of Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh.
