Bhopal: Two significant political developments took place for the ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. Ex-Cong MLA announced return to party fold while an ex-BSP MLA also joined the Congress. The ex-BSP MLA Balvir Singh Dandotiya joined the Congress in presence of chief minister Kamal Nath here in Bhopal. He is the second former BSP MLA after advocate Satyaprakash to join the ruling party in MP ahead of general elections.
Dandotiya had won from Dimani seat of Morena district in 2013 assembly elections, but came third from Morena assembly seat in the 2018 polls. But despite coming third he secured over 21,000 votes, which was seen one of the reasons for defeat of sitting BJP MLA and MP health minister Rustam Singh from Morena assembly seat.
In an another development former Congress MLA Javier Meda (who was expelled from the party during recent assembly polls for contesting against party’s official candidate) announced return to party fold in tribal dominated Jhabua district. Meda’s announcement of returning to party fold is significant as it will boost the poll prospects of five-time sitting MP and former union minister Kantilal Bhuria, whose candidature from Ratlam- Jhabua seat is almost certain.
Meda was seen a bitter political rival of Bhuria. Meda, a tribal Christian, who was once close to AICC chief Rahul Gandhi and also to Jyotiraditya Scindia had contested from Jhabua assembly seat (one of the eight assembly segments of Ratlam- Jhabua LS seat) as independent in recent assembly polls, securing 35,000-plus votes which played a crucial role in BJP candidate GS Damor defeating Congress MP Kantilal Bhuria’s medico-turned-politician son Vikrant Bhuria.
