Bhopal:

A former Congress MP from Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri district and several other local leaders of the party joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, prompting a functionary of the venerable party to call them “betrayers”.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav welcomed Harivallabh Shukla, who represents Shivpuri Assembly constituency, and other Congress workers of the BJP at a function here, A day ago, six Lok Sabha seats in the state went to polls in the first phase of assembly elections.

Addressing the new members of the saffron party, Mr Yadav said: “We welcome you to the party with open arms. We will work as one. You will be free to give suggestions and play an important role in the party (BJP).”

Chief Minister, Bhopal State Office, Bharatiya Janata Party @DrMohanYadav51Shri, Secretary General of the National Organization @HitanandSharmaNational Coordinator for New Groups @drnarottammisraState Government Minister Shri Govind Singh Rajput, Former Union Minister Shri @pahouri_office And the Secretary of State and… pic.twitter.com/t2c79e1FDW

—BJP Madhya Pradesh (@BJP4MP) April 20, 2024

The BJP said more than 100 Congress leaders attended the event.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has launched a campaign to induct disgruntled Congress leaders into its ranks of MPs. Several Congress leaders have joined the BJP in the state over the past few months.

Earlier, Mr Yadav had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s family is expanding at the fastest pace among MPs.

KK Mishra, media adviser to Congress president Jitu Patwari, said Shukla was at the end of his rope. He claimed that the departure of former members would have no impact on Congress.

“Those who joined the BJP betrayed their political mother. They got everything but when it came time to repay the party and fight against the separatist forces, they chose to betray and flee under the temptation of money and force,” he said .

“History will not forgive these ‘betrayers’,” Mr Mishra added.

Six of the 29 Lok Sabha seats in the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh went to polls in the first phase on Friday. The remaining constituencies will go to polls in three phases between April 26 and May 13.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)