In a setback to the Congress party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, several of its leaders, including former MLA Dinesh Ahirwar and Congress’ District President from Vidisha, Rakesh Katare, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday.
The Congress leaders acquired the membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party headquarters in the state capital Bhopal in the presence of BJP state chief VD Sharma and other senior party leaders. Additionally, several Congress workers also joined the saffron party on the occasion.
“Congress district president from Vidisha Rakesh Katare, former Congress MLA from Jatara Constituency, Tikamgarh Dinesh Ahirwar, and other Congress leaders and workers took the membership of the BJP in the presence of senior leaders at the state BJP office in Bhopal. They joined the party after being impressed by the public welfare schemes of the BJP government and the policies of the organisation,” the BJP said in a statement on X.
Simultaneously, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, BJP state chief V D Sharma, and other dignitaries inaugurated the “Lok Sabha Election Management Office” at the state BJP office, gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Also Read: ‘Some things are better left unsaid’: Baba Siddique quits Congress after 48 years
“Today, the state-level Lok Sabha election office was inaugurated by performing puja according to the rituals at the state BJP office. The people of Madhya Pradesh have made up their minds to bless Prime Minister Narendra Modi with victory in all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Ab ki baar 400 paar, phir ek baar BJP Sarkar,” CM said in a post on X.
Notably, this defection trend is not isolated, as earlier on February 7, Mayor of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation Jagat Bahadur Singh joined the BJP in the presence of state chief VD Sharma, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and other cabinet ministers at the BJP headquarters in Bhopal.
The saffron party has also witnessed the addition of leaders like Dindori district panchayat president Rudesh Paraste and several others.
Also Read:Another blow for Congress as former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan quits, likely to join BJP
While addressing the event, BJP chief Sharma stated: “I congratulate all the leaders who joined the party today. Earlier, we had said before the assembly elections 2023 that ‘Modi is in the heart of Madhya Pradesh,’ and now Modi has become popular even within the Congress. The Congress people who want to do something for the country and society are joining the BJP family.”
“I assure everyone who joined the party today that BJP is a family. All of you will feel that you have become a member of a family; it is not just a political party. Together we will create a golden Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav,” Sharma further mentioned, ANI reported.
CM Yadav, while expressing joy over the growing strength of the saffron party, welcomed the leaders who joined.