BHOPAL: Powerful Brahmin leader of Katni district and Madhya Pradesh State Social Welfare Board chairperson Padma Shukla quit from her official post as well as the BJP’s primary membership on Monday.
Later, Shukla joined the opposition Congress in the presence of Congress state president Kamal Nath. The resignation came a day before before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah were to address the BJP Karyakarta Mahakumbh in Bhopal,
In her resignation letter, Shukla mentioned she was a disciplined BJP worker since 1980 and had served the party through various organisational posts. But since the 2014 Vijayraghavgarh Assembly by-election, the BJP workers were not only being neglected, but also being harassed, Shukla alleged. Owing to this, she claimed she was quitting the party as well as the head of the Board.
“I couldn’t stay like Gandhari and enjoy the constitutional post granted to me at the cost of the party workers in my constituency. I was forced to take this painful decision as our party workers are being neglected and harassed in Vijayraghavgarh constituency,” said Shukla.
Welcoming Shukla into the Congress fold, Nath said Shukla had lost the polls in Vijayraghavgarh seat by just over 900 votes, which speaks volumes about her popularity in the constituency. “She has joined the Congress unconditionally, but her prospects of contesting the next election in Vijayraghavgarh seat on Congress ticket will be discussed at the appropriate party forum,” he added.
BSP leader joins BJP
In another significant political development pertaining to the Gwalior-Chambal region, a powerful BSP leader Romesh Mahant joined the BJP. Mahant had contested the 2013 polls as BSP candidate from Lahar seat of Bhind district and finished third. Ex-minister Govind Singh is the six-time sitting Congress MLA from Lahar.