Two former ministers and numerous ex-MLAs left the Congress to join the BJP in Rajasthan before of the Lok Sabha elections

Days before the anticipated announcement of the Lok Sabha polls, a number of Rajasthan Congress officials, including former ministers Rajendra Yadav and Lal Chand Kataria, joined the BJP on Sunday.

The state’s governing party was also joined by former independent MLA Alok Beniwal, former state chairman of the Congress Seva Dal Suresh Chaudhary, Rampal Sharma, Riju Jhunjhunwala, and former Congress MLAs Ricchpal Mirdha, his son Vijaypal Mirdha, and Khiladi Bairwa.

“People are saying they have pressure from central agencies therefore they are leaving the Congress and joining the BJP,” said former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, criticizing these politicians.

Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, a former minister who was fielded by the BJP from Basnwara in the LS elections, recently joined the party, dealing the Congress its second big blow in as many days.

At the party’s state headquarters here, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, state BJP President C P Joshi, and Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav greeted the new members.

Speaking at the BJP’s induction ceremony, Kataria said that his conscience had motivated him to join. He said that the BJP is aware of the hardships faced by the people, farmers, and the impoverished.

Kataria further said that Chief Minister Shama was the one who sought to find a solution for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project.

Former chief minister Gehlot came under fire from Bairwa, the head of the SC Commission during the previous Congress administration, who said that Gehlot “considered SC people his slaves.”

Ministers Rajendra Yadav and Lal Chand Kataria served in Ashok Gehlot’s Congress administration till it was toppled in the elections held in November 2023. During the previous UPA administration, Kataria served as a minister of state for the Union.

Yadav predicted that the BJP will win each of the state’s 25 Lok Sabha seats.

In relation to an alleged scam involving midday meals, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches on properties connected to him when he served as a minister in the Gehlot government.

Jyoti Mirdha, a former Congress MP who joined the BJP before of the 2023 assembly elections, is the uncle of Ricchpal Mirdha. The BJP has announced Jyoti Mirsha as their candidate from Nagaur in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The son of Ricchpal Mirdha is Vijaypal Mirdha.

In the Jat-dominated region of Nagaur and its environs, the Mirdha dynasty has significant influence.

According to Ricchpal Mirdha, the Jat community was granted reservation by previous prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whereas Jagdeep Dhankhar, an Indian farmer’s son, became vice president during the Modi administration.

He said that the Jat community has three governors. “What did we get from the Congress?”

In addition to them, former MLA Randhir Singh Bhindar joined the saffron party after leaving the BJP to start his own Janta Sena organization.

Bhindar said that despite struggling for 11 years after his split from the BJP for personal reasons, he never joined the Congress. He said he was going home to be with his family.

13,70 leaders, including pradhan, senior leaders, Zila parishad members, and panchayat samiti members, joined the party today, according to a BJP spokesman.

According to Chief Minister Sharma, the Congress defrauded farmers by obtaining votes in their names. He also charged the party with fraud and corruption.

The former governor of Gujarat, Kamla Beniwal, is the father of Alok Beniwal.

Gehlot said that while these leaders were awarded prominent posts in the Congress, including those of state and union minister, they deserted the party at a trying period.

“They are fleeing the celebration and leaving when things go tough for them. He said on X, “A lot of individuals are claiming that they are joining the BJP because they are being pressured by federal authorities.

He said, “This is the time to fight for the future of the country and save democracy, not to give in to any pressure.”

Party leaders, according to Gehlot, should be inspired by the Gandhi family. Rahul Gandhi said that the Enforcement Directorate had “harassed” him and his family for many days under the guise of interrogation, and that they had also canceled his membership in the Parliament.

They were under tremendous strain. Rahul Gandhi is touring the nation as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, raising public awareness of the issues of unemployment, inflation, injustice, and hate. This is the way to take risks in politics,” he said.

“Every institution in the nation is under strain these days, and tension is felt by everyone.” Only the Congress Party is capable of resolving this strain and pressure. Gehlot said, “Only the Congress can maintain the nation’s democracy robust and secure.