In a significant boost to the Congress ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, former BJP National Spokesperson Nighat Abbas officially joined the party on Tuesday. The announcement was made at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in the presence of senior Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Akhilesh Prasad Singh.
Abbas joined a group of prominent figures, including Bhagirath Manjhi, son of the “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi; Manoj Prajapati, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Prajapati Kumbhar Sangh in Bihar; and Ali Anwar Ansari, National President of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Society.
Addressing the media, Abbas highlighted her reasons for leaving the BJP and aligning with the Congress. She accused the BJP of fostering a culture of divisive politics and fear, particularly targeting the Muslim community. “The BJP’s slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ is hollow. The party promotes ‘Bantenge to Katenge’ politics, instigating divisions and clashes across the country,” she said.
Abbas expressed her belief in the Congress’s inclusive vision, stating, “The Congress has always taken every section of society along and moved forward with the belief that ‘Sath Rahenge to Mazboot Rahenge’ (If we stay together, we will remain strong).”
She criticized the BJP’s “5-star office culture” and accused the party of corruption, contrasting it with the Congress’s grounded approach. Abbas also spoke of the challenges Muslims face under the BJP regime. “Today, a Muslim walking on the street feels afraid,” she said, adding that in the Congress, she would not be asked to make inflammatory remarks against Muslims to gain popularity.
“I am relieved that here, unlike in the BJP, I won’t be told before TV debates to speak against Muslims just to go viral,” she remarked.