Former Cong MP from Madhya Pradesh joins BJP

A Madhya Pradesh Congress leader joined the BJP Friday, a development described by the ruling party leaders as an indication of the falling fortunes of the opposition in the poll-bound state.

Premchand Guddu, a Dalit leader who was an MLA and MP, joined the saffron party in the presence its senior leaders from the state, including Narendra Singh Tomar, Thaawarchand Gehlot and Kailash Vijayvargiya, and hit out at the Congress as a party of "raja and maharaja".

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan have been working for the poor, the Congress is being run as an "elite class" with no concern for Dalits and the downtrodden, he said.

That a Congress leader of over 30 years has decided to join the BJP underlines the falling fortunes of the opposition party, Vijayvargiya said.

Guddu was considered close to Congress leader and former chief minister Digvijay Singh and had been feeling sidelined in the party, sources said.

He or his son may be fielded by the BJP in the assembly polls.

Tomar said his joining the BJP would strengthen the party.

Madhya Pradesh, which has a 230-member Assembly, will have a single-phase polling on November 28.