New Delhi, Feb 28 (DHNS) : Karuna Shukla, the niece of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and TRS leader Vijayashanti on Thursday joined the Congress at a time when the party is grappling with desertions.

Congress top brass turned up in full strength to induct Shukla, a former MP from Chhatisgarh and a ex-vice president of the BJP, into the party. Among those present at the brief function the Congress headquarters included senior leaders Janardan Dwivedi, Motilal Vora, Ajit Jogi, and  B K Hariprasad. Shukla later met Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Shukla launched a broadside against BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi accusing him of taking the BJP away from the values practiced by Vajpayee.

Shukla had quit the BJP in October last year after facing humiliation in the party where she had taken her first lessons in politics.

The 63-year-old leader, who became MLA from BJP first in 1993, was unhappy over being sidelined in the party and had openly criticised the BJP leadership including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on many occasions in recent past. Congress leaders made the most of the situation to attack the BJP which has been witnessing prevalence of “bad culture that came there in recent years.”

Filmstar-turned-politician Vijayashanti, a prominent voice in the Telangana agitation, also joined the Congress on Thursday. She announced her decision to quit the TRS and join the Congress after a meeting with Sonia Gandhi on Thursday