Bandit queen-turned-politician late Phoolan Devi's husband, Umed Singh Kashyap, has joined the Congress.

Announcing this at a press conference in Chandigarh on Monday, Haryana Congress president and former chief minister Bhajan Lal said Kashyap's presence in the party will boost its prospects in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.

He claimed that Nationalist Congress Party legislator Jagjit Singh Sangwan, Republican Party of India's Karan Singh Dalal and former legislator Raghu Yadav will also join the Congress soon.

"Their applications have been received. A decision on this can be expected soon," he said.

Kashyap, a native of Sonipat, said he had contested parliamentary election against Bhajan Lal on a Lok Dal [now INLD) ticket from Karnal in 1998, but lost.

"I have now decided to join the Congress because I feel it is the only party which really works for the poor and the downtrodden," he said.

Asked if the Congress will field Umed as its candidate, Bhajan Lal said it's still early days.

When asked if any ruling INLD's legislators were in touch with the Congress, Bhajan Lal said: "Just wait and watch."

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