Kirti Azad who was in BJP for close to two decades joins Congress

New Delhi, Feb 18: Former cricketer Kirti Azad, who was in the BJP for nearly two decades, joined the Congress on Monday. Azad was disgruntled with the BJP and was even suspended from the party in 2015.

He joined the Congress in presence of Rahul Gandhi. Azad was suspended from BJP for leveling allegations against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Cricket Association.

Azad was to officially join the Congress on Friday, but the programme was cancelled in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.

Azad is a three-time MP from Bihar's Darbangha. He was also an MLA from Delhi's Gole Market assembly seat.

Azad wants to contest next elections from Darbhanga, Bihar, but some reports say that the Congress may field him from South Delhi Lok Sabha seat, which has a sizeable Purvanchali population.

In December 2015, the BJP suspended Darbhanga MP Kirti Azad, who had been making public statements that there was "corruption" in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) when Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was heading it. Shatrughan Sinha, another BJP leader who has been openly rebelling against the party, had come out in support of Azad.

Soon after his suspension in 2015, Congress was quick to react to Azad's suspension, virtually inviting him to join the party. "He should join the Congress. His father was a Congressman. Congress blood runs through his veins," Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad said.

Kirti Azad had last year dropped hints of joining the Congress after he praised Rahul Gandhi.

Azad is the son of former Chief Minister of Bihar Bhagwat Jha Azad. He is currently serving his third term in the Lok Sabha. He won the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections from Darbhanga, Bihar on a BJP ticket. His wife Poonam is also in politics. She had joined AAP in November, 2016, which she quit on Apr 11, 2017 to join the Congress.