Setback to Congress: Ex-Rajasthan minister Mahendrajeet Malviya joins BJP

Mahendrajeet Malviya started his career as an MLA in the year 2008 and successfully retained his 2013 seat despite strong anti-incumbency against the Congress

In another blow to Congress, four-time MLA and former Rajasthan minister Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday. Malviya was welcomed to the BJP by the party's Rajasthan in-charge, Arun Singh, state unit chief CP Joshi and other leaders.

"Development is a big issue. There is a double-engine government here. The state and the country are transforming and the entire world is watching," he told reporters before a joint press conference at the party office.

The double-engine government is the BJP's reference to its presence at both Centre and a state as the ruling party. 

Prior to his switch, he also took a swipe at the "plight" of Congress. "You can see the plight of Congress across the country. The party is being hounded and rendered hollow from within by a select few people. Somewhere, it has drifted from the vision it had for the country and the people. It is not there anymore," he had said on Friday.

He held the portfolio of Winter resources, IGNP, water resource planning department in the Ashok Gehlot government.

Tribal leader from southern Rajasthan

An MLA from Bagidora Assembly seat in the Banswara district, Malviya is a tribal leader from southern Rajasthan. Notably, the southern region is considered the BJP's stronghold in comparison to the Congress and Malviya's induction into the party could leverage its position in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Malviya started his career as an MLA in 2008 and successfully retained his 2013 seat despite strong anti-incumbency against Congress. The party had won just 21 seats that year.

Named during 2020 political crisis

During the 2020 political crisis that ensued due to an attempt to overthrow the Ashok Gehlot government by senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, Malviya's name also cropped up in an FIR in the matter.

Notably, the BJP snatched power from the Congress in the last year's Assembly elections.

Malviya's exit follows as many big names have quit the part recently, giving a jolt to the Congress right before the general elections.