Ex-Union minister Birender Singh, wife Prem Lata join Congress

New Delhi: Former Union minister Birender Singh and his ex-MLA wife Prem Lata joined the Congress on Tuesday, a decade after quitting the party.

Their joining comes a month after their son Brijendra Singh joined the party after quitting the Congress.

Birender Singh (78) is the maternal grandson of the farmer leader Sir Chhotu Ram and had quit the Congress in 2014 to join the BJP.

He was Union minister for steel in the first government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also held the charge of rural development, panchayati raj, and drinking water and sanitation.

On his return to the Congress, Birender Singh said, "It is not just my 'ghar wapsi' but also 'vichar wapsi'." Welcoming Birender Singh and Prem Lata into the Congress, party leader Mukul Wasnik said, "With their joining, I am sure the Congress will be strengthened in Haryana and help form the Congress government in the state." Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, "With his (Birender Singh) rejoining, he has proved the age-old saying, 'East or West, Home is the best'. He is my elder brother and I am very happy about his return to the Congress fold." "We need to increase our strength by displaying unity and only then will we be able to save democracy and the Constitution," Hooda said.

AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala said, "This is an emotional moment for me and I welcome him into the party fold." Other Congress leaders including Kumari Selja, Haryana party chief Uday Bhan, former Haryana Assembly speaker Kiran Chaudhary, former Punjab deputy chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, and AICC OBC Cell head Capt Ajay Singh, were also present on the occasion.