Lucknow: The Congress in Uttar Pradesh may receive a major jolt in the coming days. Former UPCC president Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi, according to sources, is all set to join the BJP.
Dr Joshi is said to be upset at being ‘sidelined’ in the party and has not been given any major responsibility. She was not asked to join any of the yatras that the Congress recently took out in the state.
Congress sources, however, said that with Sheila Dikshit already named as the party chief ministerial candidate, two Brahmin women could not be made to lead the party at the same time.
Ever since reports of her joining the BJP started doing the rounds, Dr Joshi has switched off all her phones and gone into an incommunicado mode.
Surprisingly, the former UPCC chief, who is normally very active on the social media, did not deny the reports on Facebook or Twitter which gave further credence to the rumours.
UPCC spokesman Surendra Rajput, tho-ugh, denied that she was quitting the party, but did not say why Dr Joshi did not issue a denial on the issue. Dr Joshi, 67, is the Congress MLA form the Lucknow Cantt seat and is said to be keen on a ticket for her son Mayank Joshi too.
Sources said that Dr Joshi has been feeling uncomfortable ever since the Samajwadi Party announced the candidature of Aparna Yadav, younger daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav from the Lucknow Cantt seat.
Dr Joshi’s position in the Congress came under cloud after her brother Vijay Bahuguna engineered split in the Congress in Uttarakhand and defected to the BJP with 9 MLAs. Though Dr Joshi distanced herself from her brother’s decision, her detractors used the opportunity to question her loyalty.
