New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI): Former Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nine months ago, rejoined the Congress on Saturday. The development can be seen as a big boost for the Congress ahead of the by-polls for the 20 assembly seats.

“At that time (when I joined BJP), I had also said that it was not a happy decision for me. It was a weak moment for me. But then after, I had a chat with Ajay Maken and we sorted out the differences,” said Lovely in a press conference at the AICC headquarters. “Ideologically, I was a misfit in the BJP,” he added.

Announcing Lovely’s return, Maken said, “Congress will be strengthened by his presence again and we will serve the people of Delhi.” The former Union Minister also hailed Lovely and his family for their contribution to the party for generations.

“Lovely and his family have contributed to the Congress for long. He has been a strong sepoy of the Congress for generations. He has been the former Delhi unit chief and a former Minister in the Delhi government,” Maken added.

Meanwhile, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit expressed happiness over the development.”I am feeling very happy that he has returned back to the Congress,” Dikshit told ANI.

Lovely, who had joined the BJP in April last year, had raked up allegations of bribery in ticket distribution for the MCD polls by the Congress and claimed after meeting BJP chief Amit Shah that many senior Congress leaders were feeling “suffocated” as the party is no longer what it used to be.

Lovely, a key minister in the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government in Delhi, had joined the saffron party along with Delhi Youth Congress chief Amit Malik.

Lovely had to face a lot of criticism for joining the BJP. Reacting to the criticism, he had told the Indian Express that he had been patient with the party even after he was removed as the Congress state unit president in 2015, and that he could not wait any longer.

“In 2015, the Congress lost when Maken was the chief ministerial face of the party. Instead, I was asked to step down and he was promoted. I did not say anything despite this and stayed on,” Lovely had said.