Indore Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination papers on Monday, quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Bam reached the district collector office along with sitting BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola to withdraw his nomination.
Confirming the development, cabinet minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, Kailash Vijayvargiya welcomed Bam into the party.
“We welcome Akshay Kanti Bam Ji Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore into the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, national BJP president JP Nadda and state president VD Sharma”, Vijayvargiya posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Earlier in the day of scrutiny of nominations, BJP legal cell officials had raised objection on his nomination form for not mentioning the addition of section 307 of IPC in a 17-year-old case, but district collector overruled the objection and accepted his nomination as the section was added on the day of filing of nomination.
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The case’s hearing will take place on May 10, three days before voting in Indore.
Indore will go to polls in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election on May 13.
However, the nomination of three other Congress candidates who filed as dummy candidates have been rejected by the collector.
State Congress spokesperson Ameen ul Khan Suri from Indore said, “State president should be made accountable for this. Bam didn’t have any political outreach in Indore. Why did the Congress party choose him as candidate for one of the most important Indore seat. It should not be taken lightly because it is a matter of a shame for Congress party in Madhya Pradesh.”
BJP legislator from Indore, Ramesh Mendola also welcomed Bam to his party.
Mendola said Bam showed his willingness to withdraw his nomination to support the ideology of BJP.
A comment from Bam is awaited and this copy will be updated whenever it is received.
