Shatrughan Sinha heads to Congress, says he is a supporter of the Nehru-Gandhi family

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who had stayed in the BJP for years despite a strained relationship with its leadership, has decided to join the Congress. His meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and a photograph of the two, confirmed a move that had long been expected.

What Sinha said

The 72-year-old said Rahul Gandhi had been encouraging and had praised the dignity with which he had handled attacks within the BJP. Although younger than him, Mr Gandhi was now a popular national leader, Sinha said, adding: “I am a supporter of the Nehru-Gandhi family.”

He insisted he had never worked against the BJP but had tried to show its leadership a mirror, and accused it of turning democracy into dictatorship. Over the past year he had openly criticised both Amit Shah, the BJP president, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Twitter. Recently he had also praised Rahul Gandhi’s proposed minimum income guarantee scheme, NYAY, as a masterstroke.

The Patna Sahib factor

The final break came when the BJP dropped the two-time MP and named Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad as its candidate for Patna Sahib in Bihar. Sinha may now contest the seat for the Congress. Party leader Shaktisinh Gohil tweeted that he would formally join on April 6. Reports suggested his induction had been delayed by differences with Lalu Yadav’s RJD over him.

What happened next

In the 2019 general election the BJP won 303 of 543 seats and the Congress 52, and Narendra Modi was sworn in for a second term on 30 May 2019.

Originally published on 28 March 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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