Date:10/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/10/stories/2008071058850300.htm

New Delhi

Former judge joins Delhi BJP

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Retired Additional District and Sessions Judge Rajesh Kumar on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his supporters.

Speaking on the occasion, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the entry of Mr. Kumar, a representative of Kashyap community, to the party proved that the BJP was not opposed to the cause of the Dalits and the deprived.

‘Dalits disillusioned’

Ms. Swaraj said the BJP had become the biggest party following its victory in Karnataka. The Dalits and other deprived communities were disillusioned with other parties and they had expectations only from the BJP, which believed in development of all sections of society through “antyodaya”, she said.

Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan, who along with South Delhi MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra was present on the occasion, said the Lok Janshakti Party Mahila Morcha president Latika Sharma too had joined the BJP recently. A large number of Muslim women from various slum clusters in the Capital had also joined the party, he added.