Madhya Pradesh: Ex-Union miner Suresh Pachauri of Congress, MP, MLAs join BJP

Senior Congress leader and former Union miner Suresh Pachauri, former member of Parliament Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi and four former MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday morning. Madhya Pradesh chief miner Mohan Yadav, state BJP president VD Sharma, former CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan, cabinet miner Kailash Vijayvargiya and former miner Narottam Mishra welcomed the Congress leaders to the BJP. (File) Former MLAs Sanjay Shukla, who contested against Kailash Vijaywargiya from Indore, Vishal Patel, Arjun Palia, Satpal Palia and Bhopal drict Congress president Kailash Mishra with their supporters joined the BJP. Hindustan Times – your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. They said that they were upset with the Congress’ political decisions on caste and religious matters like rejecting invitation to the consecration of Ram temple. Madhya Pradesh chief miner Mohan Yadav, state BJP president VD Sharma, former CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan, cabinet miner Kailash Vijayvargiya and former miner Narottam Mishra welcomed them to the BJP. After joining the BJP, Pachauri said, “I had served the Congress party for 50 years with all dedication because my aim was social service and national service. There was a slogan in the Congress, ‘Na Jaat ka Na Paat ka’, but this ideology has been sidelined in the Congress. Today there is talk of caste. Due to this, caste conflict is increasing. The political and religious decisions that are being taken in the past few days are making us sad.” He further said, “It was wrong to reject the invitation for the consecration of Ram Lala. When the consecration ceremony of Lord Shri Ram ji was organised, its invitation letter was rejected using indecent language. I was shocked. I have been in favour of building Ram temple in Ayodhya from the beginning. There was no need to decline the invitation letter.” Pachauri, who was stated to be close to late Prime Miner Rajeev Gandhi, said, “Then PM Rajiv Gandhi sent me to ask Shankaracharya ji what to do. He asked to lay the foundation stone to build a temple. In September 1989, Rajiv Gandhi replied that work should be done accordingly. Then we went and laid the foundation stone there. Ashok Singhal ji was there. Then where is the need to reject the invitation letter?” Former Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla organised Ram Katha on the arrival of Rahul Gandhi in Indore during Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. He was one of the richest MLA of MP. Shukla said, “I felt very sad when the party (Congress) refused to go to Ram Temple on January 22. Inspired the vision and personality of Prime Miner Narendra Modi, I have joined the BJP today. My aim is to protect Sanatan Dharma and serve the public.” However, a Congress leader, who didn’t wish to be named, said, “Recently, Shukla was served a notice of ₹140 crore of Income Tax department for his mining contract. He was afraid of the Enforcement Directorate’s action, so he joined the BJP due to nervousness.” However, Shukla denied this and said he switched sides due to ideological differences with the Congress. Congress state leaders refused to comment on the issue but former Congress MLA Laxman Singh and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh reacted on X. Attacking Pachauri without naming him, Laxman Singh said, “When Congress leaders leave the party, it feels as if a traffic jam has opened. Slowly everyone’s vehicles will move forward because they had become leaders without winning even a single election. Those who have won many elections are pushed back. Now it won’t happen.” Digvijaya Singh said, “Suresh, why does someone break a relationship of 50 years like this? You had to stand with me as a support in the days of struggle. Doesn’t religion teach us to stay with our loved ones in their happiness and sorrow? Faith in Ram Temple is justified but why did you forget the dignity of Ram?” “True faith in Ram would be the learning of selfless walking on the path of struggle to support the truth. Everything else is selfish. The Nehru- Gandhi @RahulGandhi @priyankagandhi family, through which you earned name and respect in the society, has been alienated. That too for those against whom we all fought. Now the BJP is saying that you belonged to them and are returning home. Well, whatever you do… but do not do it in the name of Ram. This is not the teaching of Ram,” he added. Congress state president VD Sharma said, “More leaders of the Congress will join the party in the coming days as Congress party has left with no ideology.”