Rajasthan CM welcomes former Congress leaders who joined BJP, says "Will not let spirit break"

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma welcomed the leaders who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday and assured them that they will not break the spirit with which they joined the saffron party.

In a big jolt to the Congress party ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, several Congress leaders joined the BJP in the presence of Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma, Deputy CM Diya Kumari and Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi.

The Congress leaders who joined the saffron party include former ministers Rajendra Yadav, Lal Chand Kataria, former Congress MLAs Richpal Mirdha, Vijaypal Mirdha, Khiladi Bairwa, former independent MLA Alok Beniwal, former state spokesperson of Congress Rajasthan Suresh Chaudhary, Rampal Sharma and Riju Jhunjhunwala amongst others.

Union Minister and BJP's Alwar candidate Bhupender Yadav was also present at the event. Addressing the event, CM Sharma said, "I welcome those who have joined (BJP) after watching our ideology, PM Narendra Modi's work and BJP's trust. I assure you that we will not let the spirit with which you have joined BJP under the leadership of Narendra Modi be broken. This is the time of India's development."

Hitting out at the grand old party, CM Sarma said that the Congress worked among the public to deceive them. "After the year 2014, you must have seen that after the country got independence, the political party that started ruling the country had changed its direction, and its objective changed. The Congress party used to rule the country from Panchayat to Parliament and people used to choose that party again and again because of their trust, but the Congress always worked among the public to deceive them," he said.

Earlier, on February 19, senior Congress leader and former minister Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya, who hails from Banswara district in Rajasthan, had also left Congress and joined the BJP.

The BJP has made Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya its candidate from Banswara Lok Sabha constituency.

Former state president of the Rajasthan BJP and convenor of the BJP Joining Committee, Dr Arun Chaturvedi, said that the beginning was made with Mahendra Jeet Singh Malviya and today the Congress leaders who have joined the BJP are the first step in the same chain, Many leaders will join the BJP in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Tika Ram Jully said, "Only those who are leaving Congress can tell the reason, whether they're leaving out of fear or greed. Be it position within the party or respect, Congress has given them everything.

"If the leaders are leaving the party, the party has no loss. It will be at a loss only when its Karyakartas will leave it, but Congress' Karykartas are strong and they know what to do. BJP talks about 'Congress Mukt Bharat' but keeps adding people from the Congress. Where is BJP's ideology left then?... They (BJP) talk about '370 paar' but they're in fear if they can win even 272 seats..." Tika Ram Jully added.

On March 3, the former Congress leader, Mool Chand Meena, rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Impressed by the efficient leadership and public welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Mool Chand Meena rejoined the BJP family today in the presence of State President CP Joshi in the BJP state office," the Rajasthan BJP posted on X.

In 2018, Mool Chand Meena quit the BJP to join Congress and is the former Zila Pramukh of Jaipur. After quitting the Congress party, Mool Chand Meena said that he was impressed by the efficient leadership and public welfare policies of PM Modi. Setting the pace ahead of its rivals, the BJP released its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The list included 47 youth candidates, 28 women candidates, 27 Scheduled Caste (SC) faces, 18 Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates, and 57 OBC/Backward Class nominees.