Just a week before MP bypolls, Congress MLA from Damoh joins BJP

BHOPAL: In a major blow to Congress just a week before voting for the bypolls on 28 seats in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul Singh Lodhi, Congress MLA from Damoh, resigned from his post to join BJP, on Sunday. He is the 26th MLA from the Congress who has joined the BJP since March this year. BJP has portrayed Lodhi's resignation as rejection of Kamal Nath's leadership in the Congress.
Rahul joined BJP in the presence of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said that it was development and demand of medical college in Damoh which compelled him to quit the Congress.
The Congress however, alleged that BJP was involved in horse trading even during the elections.
"I have worked with the Congress for around 14 months but I couldn't work for development and fulfill the public demand of a medical college. All the public welfare schemes in Damoh have been put on hold. Today, I have joined BJP willingly. I am sure that Damoh will rise to great heights," Lodhi told reporters at a press conference here at BJP state head office, on Sunday.
He however, denied that he had laid any condition before joining the BJP and took decision merely in the interest of the development of his constituency and to build a medical college.
"Couple of months back I had rejected the reports that I would be joining the BJP but the situation changed when I witnessed several development works being undertaken by the current BJP government during its six month tenure in the state. Welfare of Bundelkhand was seriously compromised during Congress rule. In the interest of Damoh, I decided to join the BJP. The BJP will make a clean sweep in the ongoing elections," he said.
On Saturday evening, Lodhi submitted his resignation from the state assembly to Pro tem Speaker Rameshwar Sharma, who accepted it.
"Congress MLA Rahul Singh Lodhi has tendered his resignation on Saturday. I advised him to take the decision after thorough consideration. But when he remained adamant, we accepted the resignation," said Sharma.
Lodhi had defeated former BJP minister Jayant Malaiya during the 2018 assembly elections in Damoh by a margin of 798 votes.
Rahul Singh Lodhi is believed to have followed the footsteps of his cousin Pradyuman Singh Lodhi, who resigned from Bada Malhera seat three months back in a similar manner and joined the BJP. Pradyuman was also appointed as chairman of MP State Civil Supplies Corporation by CM Chouhan.
On Lodhi joining BJP, chief minister said that Congress is disintegrating, thus MLAs and other leaders are quitting the old party.
"The future of Congress is bleak under the leadership of Kamal Nath. Rahul's Congress is different from Kamal Nath's Congress. Congress failed to carry out development worth a single paisa in the state. The party also stalled important schemes for public welfare during its 15-month rule. Dissatisfied with the style of working of Kamal Nath, people are quitting the Congress," said Chouhan.
The chief minister also assured that Damoh will get a medical college as demanded by Rahul Singh Lodhi. "The BJP will open a medical college in Damoh. BJP always believes in the tradition of development and creation. Kamal Nath needs introspection. Abusing Shivraj will not work. It makes no difference to me to say anything but Kamal Nath should talk about development," said Chouhan.
He further said, "If Kamal Nath is not an industrialist, then how did you(Kamal Nath) get your property worth millions which you have declared. You must also tell this formula to the general public".
BJP state president V D Sharma and cabinet minister Bhupendra Singh played a crucial role in bringing Lodhi to the saffron fold. BJP leaders claimed that more Congress MLAs are in touch with the BJP and likely to join the party very soon. Sources said that after Lodhi, two more Congress MLAs may follow his path in coming days.
"If any public representative shows confidence in the BJP and the work undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, then the doors of BJP are opened for him," said Sharma.
In a Twitter post, MP Congress said, “By purchasing another MLA, the BJP has made it clear that it was not winning even a single of the 28 seats. People of Madhya Pradesh will give a strong reply to the BJP.”
With this resignation, the Congress has reduced to 87 seats in the 230-member House while the BJP has 107 MLAs. The party is also trying to garner support from two Bahujan Samaj Party, four Independents and one Samajwadi Party MLA. The number of vacant seats is 29 while the majority mark in the MP Assembly is at 115.