Jalgaon: Apparently referring to Priyanka and Rahul Gandhi joining Congress recently, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Pramod Mahajan today (Feb 12, 2004) said that with Varun Gandhi, son of late Sanjay Gandhi, joining BJP on Feb 16, half of the Congress will be with the BJP.

"With Varun joining BJP, half of the Congress will be with us while half will be with them (Congress)," Mahajan said while addressing a public meeting at Chalisgaon, after launching the Atal Sandesh Yatra.

At the outset, Mahajan also declared candidature of Union Minister of State for Rural Development M K Anna Patil from Erandol in the district.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the Prime Minister at all the three times when Patil was elected to Lok Sabha and this is the only reason that Vajpayee told me to declare Patil's candidature, Mahajan added.