Cong re-admits expelled leader Rajkumar Patel

Congress today re-admitted into the party senior leader Rajkumar Patel, who was expelled in 2009 after his nomination form against senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj from Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency was rejected.
"Congress president Sonia Gandhi has revoked the expulsion of Patel, following which he has been re-admitted into the party fold," state Congress Vice-President Rameshwar Neekhra told reporters here.
Patel was also present on the occasion.
Patel had failed to submit the mandatory 'B-Form' in original on time before the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, which led to the rejection of his candidature and after which he was expelled from the party.

However, the party chief accepted Patel's appeal to revoke his expulsion yesterday and directed to re-admit him into the Congress, Neekhra said.
Patel had termed as a conspiracy against him the rejection of his nominations papers and challenged the decision in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Recently, Patel had filed his nomination paper from Vidisha seat as an independent candidate, which he later withdrew after negotiations with top party leaders.
"I have filed my nomination papers to prove that I know how to file papers for the Lok Sabha elections, as it had been alleged in 2009 that I don't know the process," Patel said.

Congress has fielded brother of party General Secretary Digvijay Singh, Laxman Singh from Vidisha against Sushma this time.