‘Jo Ram Ko Laye Hai’ singer Kanhiya Mittal says he feels like joining Congress, denies differences with the BJP

Bhajan singer Kanhiya Mittal denies political aspirations, claims to serve Sanatan Dharam, considers joining Congress.

Popular bhajan singer Kanhiya Mittal, who shot to fame with his song Jo Ram Ko Laye Hai Hum Unko Layenge, on Sunday said he “feels like joining Congress” but clarified that he had “no differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party”.

Mr. Mittal was apparently eyeing the Panchkula seat in the Haryana Assembly poll. The BJP, in its first list on September 4, fielded Vidhan Sabha speaker Gian Chand Gupta from the same seat.

In a video running over five minutes, Mr. Mittal denied that his decision had anything to do with his political aspirations. Claiming that getting the party’s ticket was not a “big deal” for him, the singer said he could have easily got it had he spoken to a few leaders in the party.

He said he was not working for any political party but for the “Sanatan Dharam (Eternal Religion)”, and wanted to bust the myth that one could serve the “Sanatan Dharam” by being only in one particular party.

He said he never sought votes for the BJP, and his song on Ram Temple too had no mention of the party. “I sang it for my guru (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Yogi Adityanath. He will always be my guru. I want to serve people,” said Mr. Mittal, who claimed that he had recorded the video at Mehandipur Balaji in Rajasthan to clear the air on the news reports about him joining the Congress.

He said the mediapersons had questioned him about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi not attending the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple but he wanted to ask “how many poor, Scheduled Castes or OBCs were taken to Ayodhya”.

Responding to the news reports about Mr. Mittal, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari told ANI that people associated with the BJP were getting disillusioned. “If the person who wrote the song on Ram Mandir is leaving the party, then it is time for the BJP to do self-introspection,” he said.