Bangalore: Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani formally joined the Congress party here Sunday as a primary member to contest from the Bangalore South parliamentary constituency in the Lok Sabha election.
Congress state unit president G. Parameshwar admitted the 58-year-old Nilekani, who is also the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), into the party in the presence of hundreds of cadres and leaders, amidst bursting of crackers and beating of drums at the party office in the city centre.
Dressed in casuals and sporting the famous Mysore turban, a beaming Nilekani thanked Parameshwar for admitting him into the party and permitting him to contest in the Lok Sabha election from his home constituency.
Nilekani will face BJP's candidate and five-time winner H.N. Ananth Kumar, who has been representing the constituency since 1996.
"I deem it as a privilege and honour to serve the people through the Congress. I am also humbled by the party's decision to field me from the Bangalore South constituency in the upcoming general elections," Nilekani told the media.
