Sarita Arya joined the party in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and State President Madan Kaushik at the state BJP headquarters here.
Dehradun: Uttarakhand Mahila Congress President and former Nainital MLA Sarita Arya joined the BJP on Monday ahead of the assembly elections in Uttarakhand on February 14. Meanwhile, the state Congress removed Arya from all posts and expelled her from the primary membership of the party. Arya joined the party at the state BJP headquarters here in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and state president Madan Kaushik. Welcoming Arya to the party wearing a BJP belt, the Chief Minister said that she has always been fighting for the rights of the poor, the oppressed and the downtrodden, while she has also contributed a lot to the state for mother power. He said that her arrival will strengthen the party in every field.
On this occasion, Kaushik expressed hope that Sarita Arya would strengthen the party by carrying forward the party's 'reeti-neeti'. She was defeated by Sanjeev Arya, who contested on BJP ticket. It is worth mentioning that after joining Congress last year along with her father and strong Dalit leader Yashpal Arya, it is believed that Sanjeev Arya is sure to get ticket from Congress this time and due to this, Sarita Arya has joined BJP after getting upset with the party. In a conversation with reporters on Saturday, Sarita Arya had indicated that she would not join if BJP gave her a ticket.
Meanwhile, state Congress President Ganesh Godiyal expelled her from the party six years ago. In a letter issued, Godiyal said that the rhetoric made by her in front of the media on Saturday in the context of the assembly elections in the state. The Mahila Congress President's post is not in keeping with the dignity of the party and it has tarnished the image of the party. Godiyal said that it has been taken seriously by the party's central and state leadership and while taking disciplinary action against Arya, she has been terminated from the priority membership of the party.