Ex-Cong leader from UP joins BJP

Former Congress leader Ammar Rizvi joined the BJP on Wednesday and asserted that he will work to dispel "misunderstanding and confusion" among minorities about the saffron party. Rizvi, a veteran of Uttar Pradesh politics, who was the leader of opposition in the legislative council and a minister for five times in Congress governments, said he had been impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's working for a long time.

He told reporters that misunderstanding and confusion among minorities have been created and he will work to dispel it. Rizvi was inducted into the BJP by its national general secretary Arun Singh.

He had left the Congress after he did not get its ticket to contest the recent Lok Sabha election and supported senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh who was contesting from Lucknow.