Former Delhi minister and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had switched to the BJP in April last year before the MCD polls, rejoined the Congress on Saturday. The four-time MLA’s decision to leave the Congress had been a massive setback for the party, which was hoping for a turnaround in fortunes with the MCD polls. When he quit, Lovely had described former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as a “burden on the Congress”, and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken as “lazy and too soaked in comfort”. On Saturday, however, Lovely and Maken together met Congress president Rahul Gandhi. At a press conference later, Lovely was described by the party’s senior leaders as “a strong soldier”, “loved by all in the Congress, in Delhi and outside”. His return, they said, was a “ghar wapsi”.

Former Delhi minister and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had switched to the BJP in April last year before the MCD polls, rejoined the Congress on Saturday. The four-time MLA’s decision to leave the Congress had been a massive setback for the party, which was hoping for a turnaround in fortunes with the MCD polls. When he quit, Lovely had described former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit as a “burden on the Congress”, and Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken as “lazy and too soaked in comfort”. On Saturday, however, Lovely and Maken together met Congress president Rahul Gandhi. At a press conference later, Lovely was described by the party’s senior leaders as “a strong soldier”, “loved by all in the Congress, in Delhi and outside”. His return, they said, was a “ghar wapsi”.