Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena, says hurt that Cong let her down

New Delhi, Apr 19: After Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the Congress on Thursday night, Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackaray addressed a press conference where he officially welcomed Priyanka Chaturvedi into the party fold.

" Maharashtra is my birthplace. I live and breathe this place and its my honour to be able to serve the state now. When i decided that I want to return to Mumbai and serve the people here and more importantly work for women's rights extensively, I couldn't think of any other party but the Shiv Sena," said Priyanka.

"Congress let me down and I know that a lot of questions will be raised over my intentions and the reason behind me joining Shiv Sena after being with the Congress for so many years. But I want to declare that this is a well thought of and a completely conscious decision, one that I am proud of. Today I join Shiv Sena with happiness and gratitude," she also said.

"I spent good ten years of life in politics, but respect of women remains my top agenda. I was disturbed after goons were reinstated in the party. I felt let down .. This meant that me as a party member did not matter to them," she added.

Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi resigned from party on Thursday night, a day after expressing publicly expressing her resentment.

Upset with her party, she went public with her grievances with a tweet lambasting the Congress for reinstating UP party workers who she says misbehaved with her. On Friday, the upset Congress leader also removed the 'AICC Spokesperson' from her Twitter profile and is reported to have exited the Congress media WhatsApp group.

After tendering her resignation as the Congress spokesperson, Priyanka in a tweet thanks the country for their support, while attaching her official resignation letter. "I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," she said.

One of the Congress' most vocal and known faces, Priyanka Chaturvedi, was viral on social media recently with her parody of a popular TV serial starring actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani, a Union Minister who is the BJP's candidate against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi. Priyanka Chaturvedi was attacking the minister over discrepancies on her official declarations on her educational background.