Septuagenarian politician Buta Singh who ditched the Congress last year rejoined the party on Friday. Since the assembly elections in Punjab are just a year away and Mr. Singh belongs to Balmiki community, his re-entry is likely to help the party to canvass support from the lower cast voters.
Mr. Singh was welcomed into the party fold by senior Congress leaders Ajay Maken and P.C. Chacko. “He wanted to come back [to Congress],” Mr. Maken told The Hindu . “It will help Congress because he is one of the tallest leaders from Balmiki community.”
In the last two Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Singh fought as an independent candidate from Jalore in Rajasthan.
He was the union Home Minister between 1986 and 1989, when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister. In 2004, he was inducted as Bihar Governor—the post where he lasted for two years.
Singh’s son, Arvinder Singh Lovely, is also a politician who works for the BJP.
