Several leaders of BJP want to join Congress: Digvijaya ahead of MP polls

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that people have made up their mind to dislodge the BJP from power in Madhya Pradesh

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Monday said that several leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) want to join the grand old party as they have sensed "imminent defeat" in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

Singh questioned if Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that he can "wash away the sins" of the BJP government, which has been in power in Madhya Pradesh for the last 18 years.

"People have made up their minds to dislodge the BJP from power in Madhya Pradesh. Sensing that they will face defeat in the polls, many big leaders of the ruling party are trying to join the Congress again," Singh was quoted as saying by the news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).

Singh's remarks came just a few days after several BJP leaders, including a former Member of Parliament (MP) from Balaghat, Bodh Singh Bhagat, joined the Congress party along with their supporters.

The leaders who joined the Congress party included Bodh Singh Bhagat from Balaghat, Dilip Singh from Rewa, Rajesh Patel and Sumit Choubey from Budni, and Prabhat Joshi, Dr Bhim Singh Patel, and Chandrashekhar Patel from Vidisha, along with their supporters.

The Madhya Pradesh assembly polls are scheduled to be held later this year.

In 2018, after the state legislative polls, the Congress formed the government with Kamal Nath becoming Chief Minister.

In 2020, 22 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, resigned from the Congress, thus leading to political pandemonium in the state. As a result, the Congress government collapsed, and the BJP came to power with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as Chief Minister.