NEW DELHI: BJP leader and former chairperson of the Family and Child Welfare Board in Himachal Pradesh Indu Verma on Friday joined the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections slated to be held later this year.
She is the wife of three-time former legislator Rakesh Verma.
The family has a hold in the Shimla district.
She also runs the 'Mahila Jagrukta Manch' an NGO in the state.
Welcoming her into the Congress fold, All India Congress Committee Secretary in charge of Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Shukla said her entry would help the party in forthcoming polls.
The BJP is facing desertions after the recent bye-elections in which the people did not favour the party.
The BJP will be defeated in the next assembly elections, he said.
Shukla also announced the Congress will on July 27 launch the 'Yuva Rozgar Yatra' from Dharamshala to create awareness among the youth about the unemployment situation and try to convince them that the party will create job opportunities if voted to power.
He also said that if elected to power, the Congress will bring back the old pension system for government employees in the state.