New Delhi, October 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Ramsharan Nautiyal, father of singer Jubin Nautiyal, rejoined the Congress at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Monday, days after quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Nautiyal returned to the Congress, which he had left in 2014, months ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, as political parties begin preparations for the electoral contest in the hill state.
He joined the party in the presence of senior Congress leaders, including Uttarakhand Congress in-charge Kumari Selja, Leader of Opposition in the Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya and state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion, Selja criticised the political situation in Uttarakhand and expressed concerns over the state of democracy in the country.
“Everyone knows what the current situation in Uttarakhand is like. Democracy is being shredded across the entire country, be it the SIR issue, the role of the Chief Election Commissioner or the conduct of the Election Commission of India. Our leader Rahul Gandhi has been consistently speaking out about ‘vote theft’,” Selja said.
She also referred to the recent controversy involving Uttarakhand Minister Rekha Arya and her husband. Questioning the state government’s response, Selja asked why Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was “shielding” Arya when her husband had levelled corruption allegations against her.
Explaining Nautiyal’s return to the Congress, Selja said he had become dissatisfied with the BJP’s working environment and organisational approach, prompting his decision to rejoin the opposition party.
Speaking to IANS after joining the Congress, Nautiyal said he had decided to work for the party without seeking any specific assurance or commitment in return.
“I decided to join the party and work for it… I have not taken any commitment from the party; I have committed to give my fullest to the party,” he said.
Welcoming Nautiyal into the party, state Congress president Godiyal said his return would further strengthen the organisation in Uttarakhand. He added that Nautiyal’s specific role and responsibilities would be decided at a later stage.
Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya also welcomed Nautiyal’s return, describing it as a homecoming.
“Ramsharan Nautiyal has traditionally been aligned with the Congress ideology and has played an important role in the party over the past several decades. He has served as the former Chairman of the Dehradun District Panchayat and held the responsibilities of General Secretary and Vice President in the Uttarakhand Congress. His return to the party is certainly a homecoming, and this is a welcome occasion,” Arya told IANS.
Nautiyal’s return comes as the Congress prepares for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections, with party leaders expressing confidence that his induction will strengthen the organisation in the state.
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