Ahead of the Lok Sabha Polls, former Madhya Pradesh minister and veteran Congress MLA Dipak Saxena, along with his supporters, officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, marking a notable shift in allegiance ahead of the State Assembly elections.
Welcoming Saxena into the BJP fold, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended warm regards to the seasoned politician, who has served as a four-time MLA from Chhindwara constituency and is recognised as a close associate of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath.
Saxena’s decision to switch parties comes on the heels of his resignation from the Congress on March 22, citing a lack of direction within the party. Expressing admiration for the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Yadav, and state BJP chief VD Sharma, Saxena emphasized his alignment with the BJP’s vision and agenda.
Joining his father in the political transition, Ajay Saxena, who had previously joined the BJP, criticized the current state of affairs within the Congress, particularly under the leadership of Nakul Nath, son of Kamal Nath and incumbent MP from Chhindwara. He alleged marginalization of his father and neglect of party workers in Chhindwara, prompting Dipak Saxena’s departure from the Congress ranks.
Dipak Saxena’s political journey includes stepping down from his Assembly seat to facilitate Kamal Nath’s ascension as Chief Minister in 2018.
This development follows the defection of another Kamal Nath loyalist, Amarwara MLA Kamlesh Pratap Shah, to the BJP on March 29. Shah, a three-time MLA, has bolstered the BJP’s presence in the region, setting the stage for a fierce electoral battle in the upcoming polls.
In the backdrop of these political realignments, the BJP intensifies its efforts to reclaim Chhindwara, the sole seat secured by the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, amid a keenly contested electoral landscape.
The electoral contest in Chhindwara district is poised for a showdown between Nakul Nath, the Congress incumbent, and BJP’s Vivek Sahu, as the state braces for polls scheduled on April 19.
