Former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress

In a press conference held by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, the former Union minister was inducted into the Congress.Venugopal said Sinha was the "best politician who was earlier with the wrong party".

Randeep Surjewala andAICC in-charge for party's Bihar unit Shaktisinh Gohil also welcomed Sinha into the party.

The development came after Shatrughan Sinha, a vocal critic of the BJP leadership was denied the party ticket fromPatna Sahibparliamentary constituency in Bihar.

He is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) from the seat. The BJP has fielded Union minister Ravi Shanker Prasad from the prestigious Bihar constituency.

The actor-turned-politician had met Congresspresident Rahul Gandhi on March 27th in Delhi and had announced his new association following the meeting.

Shatrughan Sinha had a long association with the BJP. He was the shipping and health and family welfare minister during former prime minister Vajpayee's term.

He won the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and then again during the BJP wave under Narendra Modi in 2014.

Describing himself a great admirer of the Nehru-Gandhi family, he had also said that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Patna Sahib seat.

"In every situation, the location will be the same, Patna," he had said.

Bihar will vote in all the seven phases of the general election from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(With inputs from agencies)