Kirti Azad, Ashok Tanwar join TMC

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 23

Cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad and former Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ashok Tanwar joined the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) here today.

Announcing that Tanwar is being entrusted the responsibility of Haryana, she said she would expect him to invite her to the state soon. Banerjee said Tanwar would be also sent to Goa.

Tanwar had quit the Congress in October 2019 ahead of the state Assembly elections. He then tied up with Dushyant Chautala for the polls.

Kirti Azad, son of veteran Congressman and former Bihar CM late Bhagwat Jha Azad, was a member of the India’s World Cup winning team of 1983. He came to meet Banerjee with his wife and children.

Azad said, “I am happy to have join hands with Didi. The country needs a leader like her.” Azad won the Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga in Bihar three times on the BJP ticket. He was suspended from the BJP for openly targeting then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities and corruption in the Delhi Cricket Association. He unsuccessfully contested from Dhanbad in the 2019 LS elections on the Congress ticket.

Pavan K Varma, former diplomat who was adviser with Cabinet rank to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and also remained a JD (U) member, also joined the TMC today.