More SP men join Cong

In an immediate reaction to Dalwai’s quitting the party, Azmi had said that Dalwai had taken Rs two-three crore from senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to change his party affiliation and break the SP in Maharashtra. Azmi added that he too was offered a similar amount.

Seizing the opportunity, the BJP threatened to approach the CEC to lodge a complaint based on Azmi’s statements. It shows the desperation of the Congress and needs to be taken seriously, party spokesperson Prakash Javdekar said. However, the official complaint has not yet been made but party sources say they are preparing the case so that it will come in handy for Congress-bashing during the election campaign.

Dalwai was initially unaffected by the charges but was advised to take them seriously if only to give a rejoinder to both the SP and BJP. “There was simply no question of any deal or condition. I quit and so did senior office-bearers because Mulayam Singh was colluding with communal forces. I could have bargained for a ticket but even that was not mentioned. The intention was simply to not remain in a party like the SP,” he told The Indian Express.

Among those who joined the Congress today are SP’s Dalit cell in-charge Dyaneshwar Varte. Pradesh Congress Committee president Prataprao Bhosale welcomed them into the party. Many SP activists across the state are in touch and express their desire to join the Congress, Dalwai said.