Former Congress ministers, ex-MLAs join Rajasthan BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Jaipur: At least two former Congress ministers and four other influential leaders joined the BJP today setting rest to speculations that many crossovers were in the anvil amid the impending Lok Sabha elections.

Lalchand Kataria, former state agriculture minister, said to be close to former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former state home minister Rajendra Yadav crossed over to BJP in presence of chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma and state president C P Joshi.

While joining BJP, Kataria said he was joining as a worker, a karyakarta and not as a leader and would follow PM Narendra Modi’s instructions and work at the booth level.

Former MLA and influential leader in the Marwar belt Richpal Mirdha and his son and former MLA Vijaypal Mirdha also joined the saffron camp.

Vijaypal Yadav’s driver has been missing for over a year and current Degana BJP MLA Ajay Singh Kilak has been attacking the Yadavs over it. Vijaypal had won the Degana seat on a Congress ticket in 2018 but lost to Ajay Singh in 2023. Also with hardly any future in Congress, the Yadavs perhaps thought joining BJP would be the safest option for them.

Former minister Rajendra Yadav’s company and two of his sons have faced ED raids in the Poshahar scam. Yadav has been the Congress district head in Jaipur (rural ).The Jaipur (rural) was held by Olympian Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore for two terms. With him fighting the Assembly elections and becoming a minister, this seat is vacant for the BJP. Rajendra Yadav may be considered for the seat.

Khiladi Lal Bairwa, said to be close to Sachin Pilot, also dumped Congress and joined the BJP. At least 25 people joined today were taken into BJP including retired bureaucrats. Bairwa belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and BJP may be looking to woo this community.

The former Congress ministers may be given tickets from the remaining 10 seats in Rajasthan. BJP has already distributed 15 tickets in the desert state, giving the Banswara ticket to another Congress cross over Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya. Former Congress leader Jyoti Mirdha, who joined BJP a few days before Assembly elections, has been given the Nagaur Lok Sabha ticket, despite losing the Nagaur MLA seat.

Another stalwart Congress leader from Bhilwara, Rampal Sharma, who has been the treasurer in Rajasthan Cricket Association also joined BJP. He may have been persuaded by Kataria, with who he is said to be close.

Alok Beniwal, son of veteran Congress leader Kamla Beniwal, who was also made Gujarat governor, joined BJP today. He was not given the Congress ticket from Shahpura in 2018 and he fought as an Independent and won. He gave support to Congress in the next five years but was not given the ticket in 2023. A miffed Beniwal then switched sides to the BJP.