Madhya Pradesh bypolls: Ex-MP rejoins Congress

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Former MP Premchand Guddu on Sunday rejoined Congress in Madhya Pradesh, bringing fresh hopes in the party for the upcoming bypolls in the state, due in the next four months.

Guddu was twice MLA and a Rajya Sabha member. His return to Congress can lead to a keen contest for Sanwer seat where by-elections are due.

The Congress leader was with the BJP for over five years. He had joined the party in the last elections, but claims he left it in February when he was served a notice for anti-party activities.

The current Irrigation Minister and a staunch supporter of Jyotiraditya Scindia, Tulsi Silavat, represented Sanwer before switching to BJP in March. He was Health Minister in Kamal Nath's ministry just when coronavirus was declared a pandemic.

The Congress is seriously considering pitting Guddu against Silavat. Guddu has been an MLA in the past from the Sanwer seat reserved for the Scheduled Castes.

Guddu rejoined the Congress with much fanfare in the presence of N.P. Prajapati, former speaker and Sajjan Singh Verma, former minister.

Guddu said he had to leave the Congress and join the BJP due to "sustained victimisation" by Jyotiraditya Scindia.

While in BJP, Guddu said he was ignored because of senior party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya.