Ex-Cong minister Das joins BSP

Das, too, went overboard while praising his new party leader. 8220;If anyone is ethically and morally eligible for heading the country, it is Mayawati,8221; he said.

8220;I was a born Congressman and in 47 years of life never switched my loyalties, but now onwards the remaining years of my life will be dedicated to your Mayawati service and to the service of the party.8221;

Generous with adjectives for Mayawati like 8220;param shradheya8221; and 8220;param sammanit8221;, Das said, 8220;It is a big day for me when I am joining a mahaan party under the guidance of a leader like Mayawati who has a vishal vyaktitva great personality.8221; He said his well-wishers had advised him to join a political party which was moving ahead, taking all communities in its fold, irrespective of caste, creed and class.

A Congress Rajya Sabha member and former Minster of State for Steel at the Centre, Das was shunted out from the Cabinet on April 6. A month later, on May 6, he resigned from both Rajya Sabha membership and from primary membership of the Congress.

Referring to the crowd of Das8217; loyals as 8220;BSP followers8221;, Mayawati said showing faith in BSP8217;s ideology of 8220;sarvajan sukhay and sarvajan hitay8221;, Das had joined the BSP along with his followers. 8220;After winning the seat, he will start working towards bringing the Vaish community into the party fold,8221; she added.

Incidentally, Das, who hails from the Vaish community, always writes his name as Akhilesh Das but on Saturday, he made sure to add suffix 8220;Gupta8221; which was prominently displayed on the banner.