Prem Kumar Dhumal’s close aide Ranjit Singh joins Congress

Hamirpur, April 24

BJP leader Ranjit Singh, a close aide of former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, joined the Congress on Wednesday, leaders of the ruling party in the state said here.

Ranjit joined the Congress in New Delhi in the presence of party in-charge for Himachal Rajeev Shukla. He had contested the 2022 Assembly poll from Sujanpur on the BJP ticket but lost to Rajinder Rana, Congress candidate.

After Rana joined the BJP, Dhumal announced open support to him and started campaigning for him.

Earlier, Ranjit had protested Rana’s induction into the BJP and announced that he would contest the bypoll as an Independent candidate.

The Congress may field Ranjit from the Sujanpur Assembly seat. Rana was one of the six Congress rebels, who were disqualified from the Assembly and were fielded by the BJP from their seats.