Party mayor from Kamal Nath’s hometown joins BJP after MP’s election

Vikram Ahak joins BJP in presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav

Bhopal:

In another setback for the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, its leader and Chhindwara mayor joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh on Monday morning.

Chhindwara Mayor Vikram Ahake joined the BJP in the capital Bhopal in the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state party chief VD Sharma.

The BJP family is going from strength to strength…

Dear Prime Minister Shri today @narendramodi Deeply impressed by Mayor Shri Chhindwara’s public welfare policies @vikramahakey Shri Pramod Sharma, Chairman, Water Department, Chhindwara Municipal Corporation, Shri Siddhant Thanesar, District Collector, SC Division. pic.twitter.com/WshoKfGOS5

— Dr. Mohan Yadav (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrMohanYadav51) April 1, 2024

Last week, Kamlesh Shah, a Congress MLA from Amawada in Chhindwara district and a close associate of party stalwart Kamal Nath, switched to the BJP.

Chief Minister Yadav told reporters that Chhindwara Congress MP Nakuul Nath had insulted the tribal community and that Mr Ahaq joined the BJP because he did not want to join a party that disrespected tribals.

The first phase of polling in Chhindwara, the hometown of former state chief minister Kamal Nath, will take place on April 19.

Nakul Nath, the only Congress winner in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, has filed nomination papers for Chhindwara, where his father Kamal Nath has represented nine terms in the Assembly.

The BJP has Vivek Bunty Sahu occupying the seat this time.

Chief Minister Yadav said Ahaq joined the BJP because he was hurt by Nakul Nath’s insult to the tribal community.

The chief minister also said that Nakuul Nath insulted Gond tribal royal family member Amavada Mulla Kamlesh Shah, calling him dishonest and a “traitor”.

“Chhindwara mayor Ahaq said he did not want to stay in a party where tribals are being insulted. So, he joined the BJP today,” Mr Yadav said.

Kamal Nath ji created a lot of chaos in Chhindwara. Yesterday, Nakunasji insulted his brothers and sisters in the tribal community.

This insult to the Gond royal family does not suit them. Hurt by this insult, many leaders of the Congress party in Chhindwara joined the BJP…#MohanYadav Dr.#CMMadhyaPradeshpic.twitter.com/8y7mZ1te82

— Dr. Mohan Yadav (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrMohanYadav51) April 1, 2024

He said the Chhindwara Municipal Corporation chairman has also joined the BJP along with other leaders.

The chief minister added that no effort would be spared in the development of Chhindwara.

Kamal Nath is currently the MLA from Chhindwara assembly seat. His wife Alka Nath was elected in 1996 from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat.

Incidentally, the switch from the Congress to the BJP in Chhindwara gathered pace a few weeks ago amid speculation that Kamal Nath and his MP son were planning to do just that.

However, the father and son called such news a media fabrication.

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