Madhya Pradesh: Five prominent Congress leaders, including former Union Minister join BJP

In a significant setback for the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh, five prominent leaders, including former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri and ex-MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi, announced their departure from the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. The defection occurred in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP President V D Sharma, and former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the BJP's state headquarters.

Former Congress leaders Sanjay Shukla, Arjun Paliya, and Vishal Patel, all former MLAs, were part of the group making the shift to the ruling BJP. Suresh Pachouri, who had previously been close to the Gandhi family and served as a four-time Rajya Sabha member for the Congress, expressed dissatisfaction with the party's current trajectory.

Addressing the media, Pachouri stated that the Congress had distanced itself from its principles and policies, alienating itself from the public and failing to establish meaningful connections. Notably, Pachouri had previously held key positions within the Congress, including the roles of the party's Madhya Pradesh unit president and the state unit president of the Youth Congress.

Welcoming Pachouri to the BJP, state party chief V D Sharma highlighted the significance of a leader known for clean politics and referred to him as a 'saint' in Madhya Pradesh's political landscape. Sharma emphasized Pachouri's commitment to working for the country without any conditions and highlighted his criticism of those who questioned the military and declined invitations related to the Ram Temple.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attributed the string of high-profile exits from the Congress to the party's "lack of leadership." Chouhan expressed concerns about the Congress's current state, suggesting that the party appears to be on the brink of extinction. He criticized the directionless nature of the Congress under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, emphasizing the frustration among good leaders within the party.

The departure of these leaders marks a substantial blow to the Congress ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, raising questions about the party's internal cohesion and leadership effectiveness.