New Delhi: Congress leader Jitin Prasada, who is considered to be a close confidant of Rahul Gandhi, is likely to join the BJP on Friday. Politically speaking this will be a huge blow to the Congress party given the close proximity between Prasada and Gandhi. 

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, however, rubbished the reports as rumour.

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Sources say Prasada was unhappy with the Congress ever since he has been asked to change his seat from Dhorohra to Lucknow.

But who is Jitin Prasada?

Jitin Prasada, who was born in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpu, is the son of Jitendra Prasad, a Gandhi loyalist who has been an advisor to both former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi and Narasimha Rao. 

In 2001, Prasada started his career with IYC Indian Youth Congress as a general secretary. In 2004, he won his first election and was elected as a member of the Parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha from his hometown constituency of Shahjahanpur.

Prasada has been a former minister of state for human resource during the UPA regime. Until recently he was considered to be a very close aide of Gandhi. 

Owing to his family, he has considerable clout in Uttar Pradesh and particularly in Dharaourha constituency.