Senior Madhya Pradesh Leaders Defect from Congress to Join BJP, Dealing Major Blow

In a significant blow to the INDIA bloc in Madhya Pradesh, five prominent Congress leaders, including former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri and ex-MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi, made a decisive move by quitting the party and aligning themselves with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. Former MLAs Sanjay Shukla, Arjun Paliya, and Vishal Patel also followed suit, joining the ranks of the ruling outfit.

#WATCH | Several Congress leaders, including former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri, joined the BJP in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh today.

State BJP chief VD Sharma says, "…Someone who does clean politics, who is considered a 'saint' in the politics of Madhya Pradesh has joined the… pic.twitter.com/BaUB3uEc0X

— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2024

Suresh Pachouri joins BJP

The transition of these five former Congress leaders into the BJP fold took place amidst the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, State BJP President V D Sharma, and former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the party’s state headquarters.

Expressing his disillusionment with the Congress, Suresh Pachouri, who was once closely associated with the Gandhi family, pointed out that the party had drifted away from its core principles and policies. “It has lost touch with the public and is failing to establish meaningful connections,” he remarked during his address to the media.

Of note, Pachouri had previously served as a four-time Rajya Sabha member of the Congress and held several significant positions within the party, including the presidency of the Madhya Pradesh unit and the state unit of the Youth Congress.

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Welcoming the former Union Minister into the BJP ranks, State BJP Chief V D Sharma emphasized Pachouri’s reputation for integrity in politics, dubbing him a ‘saint’ of Madhya Pradesh politics. Sharma highlighted Pachouri’s commitment to working for the nation without any strings attached, citing his concerns over those who have questioned the army and refused invitations related to the Ram Temple. Sharma warmly embraced Pachouri into the party, underscoring his confidence in the party’s leadership.

Taking a swipe at the Congress, BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan attributed the high-profile defections to the lack of effective leadership within the Congress ranks, particularly in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections. Chouhan opined that the apparent exodus of key figures from the Congress indicated the party’s imminent demise, echoing Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion that the Congress should dissolve itself. He lamented the Congress’s directionless state, asserting that prominent leaders within the party were growing weary of its aimless trajectory.