Cong MLA from Rae Bareli also holds yagna

LUCKNOW: A Congress MLA from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, represented by party president Sonia Gandhi, held a yagna to celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, much to the embarrassment of his party which has now decided to again approach UP assembly Speaker Hriday Narain Dikshit for his quick disqualification from the party. The BJP is celebrating Modi’s birthday week – September 14 to 20 – as ‘Sewa Saptaah’ (service week). On Tuesday, all BJP ministers and leaders were in different parts of the state to celebrate the day.

Rakesh Singh, Congress MLA from Harchandpur assembly seat of Rae Bareli, participated in the ‘sewa saptah’ by putting up hoardings across Rae Bareli praising Modi on his birthday and holding a yagna for his ‘long life and increased popularity’. His supporters also distributed sweets on the occasion.

“We have already approached the Speaker seeking his disqualification some three months back. We would do so again,” said Congress legislature party leader Ajay Kumar Singh Lallu.

Rakesh is part of the influential family in Rae Bareli which shifted loyalties to the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

He is brother of Awadhesh Pratap Singh, the Rae Bareli zila panchayat chairman. Another brother Dinesh Pratap Singh, a Congress MLC on local body quota (voters of which are spread across in Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha), defected to the BJP and contested 2019 LS polls against Sonia Gandhi.

However, Rakesh had so far chosen not to side with the BJP openly, though after having put up hoardings in praise of Modi Congress leaders are now expecting that the lawmaker might officially cross over to the BJP soon. “This isn’t time for politics. It’s a joyous occasion and we are reaching all as part of service week. But yes, Modi’s admirers are growing in all parties, including the Congress,” said UP BJP spokesman Harish Srivastava.

To build on its growing association, local MP and Union minister Smriti Irani rushed her personal assistant Vijay Gupta to celebrate the day with the people, distributing sweets and medicines among the needy.