Former Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar Ansari, “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi’s son Bhagirath Manjhi were among leaders and social workers who joined the Congress on Tuesday (January 28, 2025).
They joined the party at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in the presence of senior AICC leader Pawan Khera and Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee president Akhilesh Prasad Singh.
Mr. Ansari, who founded an organisation called “Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz”, has been a senior leader of the Janata Dal (United). He was a member of the Upper House of Parliament from April 2006 to December 2017.
He said he has joined the Congress after being influenced by the ideas of Rahul Gandhi. “Rahulji’s ideas have created a stir in the BJP and JD(U) in Bihar. Rahulji’s words have generated enthusiasm among Dalits, tribals, extremely backward people, minorities and Pasmanda Muslims in the state,” Mr. Ansari said.
He claimed that because of the efforts made by his organisation, there is now research on “Pasmanda politics” in several educational institutions of the country and the world.
Former BJP leader Nighat Abbas, former Aam Aadmi Party leader Nishant Anand, social worker Manoj Prajapati and cardiac surgeon and a Padma recipient Jagdish Prasad and writer and journalist Frank Huzur also joined the Congress.
