Srinagar: Former Member of Parliament and Jammu and Kashmir minister, Lal Singh, has made a comeback to the Congress party, marking his re-entry into the political arena.
In a significant move, Singh announced the merger of his party, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party (DSSP), with the Congress during a gathering of senior party leaders.
Singh, a two-time former MP from Udhampur, has a long-standing political career, having served as the health minister and forest minister in Jammu and Kashmir. His return to the Congress fold comes alongside the merger of his party, DSSP, into the Congress.
The decision to rejoin the Congress was made official at the party headquarters in the presence of senior leaders. Singh, along with his wife Kanta Andotra, who previously served as an MLA and was the president of DSSP, consolidated their political alliance with the Congress.
While this move is viewed as a significant boost for the Congress party in the Udhampur region, it has also sparked debate within the party ranks. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad questioned the decision to induct Singh, citing his past support for the accused in the Kathua rape case.
Despite the controversy surrounding his return, Singh's re-entry into the Congress ranks has fueled speculation about his potential candidacy against Union Minister Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls scheduled for April 19.
Lal Singh, whose political journey began as a student leader, has a history of electoral victories, having been elected as an MLA and later as an MP from Udhampur.
He was previously associated with the Congress before parting ways in 2014 due to disagreements over a Lok Sabha ticket. He subsequently joined the BJP but resigned from the party in 2018, launching his own political outfit, DSSP.