Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the Grand Old Party to join the Sena in the presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya.
The Congress lost its most dazzling spokesperson to Shiv Sena on Friday, as Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the Grand Old Party to join the Sena in the presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya.
She was "hurt" with the Congress's decision to reinstate a group of party workers who had been sacked after they allegedly manhandled her in September in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, where she was addressing a press conference.
She had publicly spoken out against the party on Thursday for taking back the "goons", with a nod from Jyotiraditya Scindia, who along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is the party's poll in-charge for UP.
Chaturvedi said she was switching sides to achieve her dreams. "When I decided to come back to my Mumbaikar roots, I realised that Shiv Sena is the biggest platform to champion women's empowerment and for the youth. There is no better platform than Sena to accomplish my goals," she said. She said Mumbai was her janmabhoomi and karmabhoomi and she wanted to serve its people.
"I know my previous comments will be used against me and my ideology will be questioned, but I am satisfied with my decision. Being a Mumbaikar, I have always had an association with the Shiv Sena. There has been no change of heart."
Thackeray said that Priyanka needed no introduction and would be able to represent Sena's views as firmly as she did in her previous job. Shiv Sena workers have got a "good sister" in her, she is a fighter, he said.
Chaturvedi refuted reports that her exit had anything to do with the Congress refusing her a ticket from Mathura. She said she felt her decade-long service was not valued by the Congress, which hurt her.
"Why, after giving 10 years to a political party, have I taken this decision? I used to be trolled on social media for my bindaas remarks. I and my family used to be targeted. I was hurt as my own party men made derogatory remarks against me and reinstated," Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter.
"In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time, I also feel that the more time I spend in the organisation, it will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity," she noted.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sachin Sawant declined to comment on Chaturvedi's change of direction. He only said he wished Chaturvedi all the best for her new role.
BJP's state unit spokesman, Madhav Bhandari, criticised Congress party for shielding the party men against whose poor conduct Chaturvedi had complained.
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 "Uddhav Thackeray, Aditya, Priyanka Chaturvedi")
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