The Congress has reacted to several of its leaders from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district joining the BJP, stating that it was not affected at all. Interestingly, the move comes amid speculations over Kamal Nath's switch to the BJP.
Besides state Congress general secretary Ujjwal Singh Chauhan, several councillors, sarpanches, janpad members, and workers from Chhindwara joined the BJP on Wednesday.
Chhindwara district BJP president claimed 1,500 Congressmen, including over 700 from the newly-created Pandhurna district, joined the BJP. The new entrants are Pandhurna Nagar Palika chairman Sandeep Ghatode, Nagar Palika councillors, Pandhurna district janpad members, 16 sarpanchs, and others. Pandhurna is one of the seven assembly segments under the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency.
Congress spokesperson Anand Bakshi said the party and the organisation will not be affected if some workers cross over to other parties. "However, the question is what will be the position of such people in other parties? They derived strength from the Congress organisation," he said.
Bakshi's remarks come as BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav visited Chhindwara on Wednesday where he took potshots at the Congress for the Kamal Nath fiasco, stating that the minds of various people are wavering and they would join the BJP if not today or tomorrow.
"In the flow of time, the minds of many people are wavering. If not today, then tomorrow they will join our family. No one can stop in this world because there is only one truth that some will come today and some will come tomorrow. People joining the party are welcomed, not because we want to expand the political party, but we welcome because we want to serve India and to bring Madhya Pradesh forward," the CM said.
He also appealed to the people to ensure the BJP's victory in the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency. "I came to Chhindwara today to thank the people of Madhya Pradesh for electing the BJP to power with a mandate of 163 seats (in assembly elections)," Yadav said.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Bhanwar Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the speculation of Nath joining the BJP is not true and claimed that such talks were a creation of the media and the saffron party. A party leader had said Nath would participate in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra after it enters Madhya Pradesh on March 2.