Saturday, April 2 2005 10:04 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Raipur: Senior politician V C Shukla has expressed desire to return back to Congress, according All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh Margaret Alva.

"Shukla met me recently and expressed his desire to return back to the Congress fold. However, the final decision will be taken by AICC president Sonia Gandhi," Alva told reporters in Raipur yesterday (April 1, 2005).

Alva said she had conveyed the message to Sonia and it would be Sonia, who would be taking a final decision on Shukla's return to Congress.

In 2003, Shukla had resigned from Congress and was appointed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) State president. He had fielded candidates in many Assembly constituencies in the December 2003 Assembly polls.

His party became the deciding factor in installing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in the State after managing to secure over seven per cent vote in that election.

However, before April 2004 Lok Sabha election, Shukla joined BJP and contested from his old Mahasamund constituency.

However, Shukla lost to his arch rival and former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi of Congress.

Recently he resigned from BJP, accusing the State leaders of "backstabbing" him in the Lok Sabha elections.