JAIPUR: Over two dozen Congress leaders in Rajasthan, including former ministers Rajendra Yadav and Lal Chand Kataria, joined the BJP in Jaipur on Sunday ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Former MLA from Degana Richpal Mirdha, his son Vijaypal Mirdha, former chairman of the Rajasthan Scheduled Caste Commission Khiladi Lal Bairava, and former MLAs Alok Beniwal and MLA Ramnarayan Kisan were among those who joined the BJP.
The induction of the leaders into the BJP was facilitated by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and state BJP president CP Joshi. It is a second major jolt to the Congress within a few days as former minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya recently joined the BJP which fielded him from Basnwara in the Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, reacting to the exodus of leaders, former CM Ashok Gehlot said, “The departing leaders had been nurtured and entrusted with significant responsibilities by the Congress but they chose to leave during challenging times for the party.”
He said party leaders should take inspiration from the Gandhi family. “Through Nyay Yatra, he (Rahul Gandhi) is creating public awareness against injustice, inflation, hatred and unemployment,” Gehlot said.