Senior Congress leaders Suresh Pachouri, Sanjay Shukla and several other leaders on Saturday (March 9) joined the BJP in Bhopal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. BJP leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kailash Vijayvargiya, and VD Sharma were present on the occasion.
How did the BJP leaders react?
Taking a jibe at the Congress, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the party is “on the verge of extinction”.
“Rahul Gandhi will breathe only after finishing the Congress completely as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi. All good leaders of the Congress are tired of the party's leadership which is directionless...Congress is on the verge of extinction,” he said.
He said that the leaders considered Congress as "irrelevant" and wanted to join the BJP unconditionally.
"When he was asked why (why is he joining) and if there were some conditions from him, he said - No conditions, I want to serve the country under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Congress has become irrelevant. They neither have policy, leadership nor intentions. I welcome him wholeheartedly," he said.
Madhya Pradesh BJP President VD Sharma termed the duo as “tall leaders of Madhya Pradesh” and said that there is no space for such leaders in Congress which is why they decided to join the BJP.
“Former Union Minister and Congress leader Suresh Pachouri is a tall leader in Madhya Pradesh Congress. Since there is no space for such a leader there, he has decided to join the BJP and work under PM Modi's leadership…” he said.
State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said, "Rahul Gandhi is taking out Nyay Yatra. All leaders and workers of Congress can understand that if anyone is doing justice with the country, it is PM Modi. So, a lot of people are joining the BJP..."
CM Mohan Yadav's swipe at Congress
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav took a swipe at Congress and said," Aage aage Rahul jaa raha hai, peechhe peechhe Congress saaf ho rahi hai".
Suresh Pachouri reacts to his joining the BJP
On joining the BJP, former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri said, "...Congress has alienated from the principles and policies it has been known for. It has alienated itself from the public and is unable to establish a relationship.."
Who are the leaders who joined the BJP?
Pachouri, who was close to the Gandhi family, was Union minister of state for defence (defence production and supplies), and also served as a four-time Rajya Sabha member of the grand old party. Pachouri had earlier held several key positions in the Congress, including the post of the party's Madhya Pradesh unit president. He was also the state unit president of the Youth Congress.
Rajukhedi, a prominent tribal leader, was elected as an MP from Dhar (Scheduled Tribes) Lok Sabha seat on the Congress ticket for three terms - 1998, 1999 and 2009.
Before joining the Congress, he was elected as a BJP MLA in 1990.
(With inputs from agencies)
