Shahid Rafi dumps AIMIM, joins Congress in Rahul's presence

Shahid Rafi, son of the legendary singer, the late Mohammed Rafi, dumped the AIMIM and joined the Congress in the presence of party vice president Rahul Gandhi here on Friday.

Rafi, a garments businessman and a singer, had contested the Mumbadevi assembly segment in south Mumbai as a candidate of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate but lost.

He met Gandhi in Mumbai this afternoon and was welcomed into the party amidst loud cheers and clapping from the assembled gathering which included Mumbai party chief Sanjay Nirupam and other senior leaders.

"I want to help and serve the people as my father used to - I believed that by becoming a legislator, I could help the masses. Many parties have come and gone but little has changed. I am requesting the people to give me an opportunity to serve them," Rafi remarked on his entry to the party.

Rafi recently grabbed headlines when he demanded that his father, the famed Mohammed Rafi should be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously.

He had launched the 'Mohammed Rafi Academy' to train young musicians and promote Indian classical and contemporary music in July 31, 2010 to mark the 30th death anniversary of the singer.