In a setback to the Congress party, senior leader Tom Vadakkan joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday. He was officially inducted to the party in presence of Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Tom Vadakkan said he was not happy with the way Rahul Gandhi-led party reacted after the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. He said he was left with no option to leave the party after its position on the terror attack. "I left Congress party because when Pakistani terrorists attacked our land, my party's reaction to it was sad, it hurt me deeply," he said. After the Election Commission announced the poll schedule, both the Congress and BJP have officially launched their poll campaigns, with Rahul Gandhi doing several rallies in Kozhikode today.
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2.34pm: "If a political party takes such a position that is against the country then I'm left with no option but to leave the party," says Tom Vadakkan.
1.32pm: Bihar BJP election committee is ogranising a meeting in Patna.
1.00pm: Trinamool Congress MLA Arjun Singh (in center) joins Bharatiya Janata Party.