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The political landscape in Madhya Pradesh is heating up as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) asserts that more than 2 lakh individuals, primarily from the Congress, have joined its ranks over the past three months. Former minister Narottam Mishra’s recent statement sparked a challenge from the Madhya Pradesh Congress, urging the BJP to provide evidence of the claimed 2.58 lakh new members.
State Congress chief Jitu Patwari called out the BJP’s alleged lack of transparency, demanding the release of a comprehensive list of the purported joinings. Patwari accused the BJP of misleading the public with selective disclosures, highlighting that only prominent leaders’ names were made public, totaling 336 individuals.
Patwari challenged the BJP to disclose the identities of all 2.58 lakh new members, casting doubt on the party’s claims and suggesting that certain elements associated with mafias and expelled individuals had infiltrated the BJP’s ranks.
In response, BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja pointed out Congress leaders who recently defected to the saffron party under Patwari’s tenure as state chief. Saluja questioned whether these individuals, including former union minister Suresh Pachouri and others, were also labeled as mafias by the Congress.
The exchange between the two parties intensified as Patwari directed questions at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was scheduled to participate in a roadshow in Jabalpur. Patwari pressed the prime minister on issues such as the VYAPAM job recruitment scam, leadership transitions within the BJP, and unfulfilled promises, including job creation and minimum support prices for agricultural produce.
