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After the media reports emerged that Uttar Pradesh Congress state co-coordinator Vikas Agrahari joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vikas Agrahari on Thursday outrightly dismissed the reports of joining the BJP and said that he "never left" the Congress, adding that the "party is in his blood and soul."
"I never left Congress. The truth is that I have not joined the BJP. 'Mere khoon mein Congress hai. Meri aatma mein Congress hai. Mere mann mein Congress hai. I am not going to get afraid of anyone. I am and will always remain the Congressman," Vikas Agrahari told reporters in Amethi. He further said that he went to meet them over the issues in his area, adding that he never joined the BJP. "I had gone to meet them over the issues in my area. A formal welcome takes place when people meet each other. The same happened there as well. But later, when I came back, I came to know that there were reports in the media that I had joined the BJP. But the truth is that I made no statements there; there is no video of mine that establishes that I have joined the BJP. I myself got to know this through media reports, which is why I am here to refute it. Earlier, I took the time to meet them but for some reason, it could not happen. There were many issues for which I went there to meet them. The saffron clothing was not a 'BJP gamchha'; it was a regular towel," he said. Earlier, there were reports that Vikas Agrahari joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi Lok Sabha Constituency, Smriti Irani. Smriti Irani defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi, a Nehru-Gandhi family stronghold, in one of the biggest upsets of the polls. Congress has, however, announced that Gandhi will again contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, a seat he won in the 2019 general elections. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the 2024 general elections. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4.The most populous state, which sends the most members to the Lower House of Parliament, at 80, will poll across all seven phases. (ANI)
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