Madhya Pradesh: Congress MLA Pradyumn Singh Lodhi joins BJP

BHOPAL: In a major setback to Congress in

Madhya Pradesh

, party's MLA from Malhera in Chhatarpur district,

Pradyumn Singh Lodhi

, joined BJP on Sunday.


Lodhi, a former

BJP Kisan Morcha

leader from

Bundelkhand

, had joined Congress and contested assembly elections in 2018 where he had defeated

BJP minister Lalita Yadav

.

Lodhi, who was in touch with BJP leader Uma Bharti, called on chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday and joined BJP in the presence of Chouhan and the state party president VD Sharma.

BJP minister Bhupendra Singh said party welcomes Lodhi back to fold. He is an asset in Bundelkhand.

"Lodhi was with BJP Kisan Morcha. We welcome his return to the party. He is a senior leader and an asset in Bundelkhand region," said Singh.

Congress alleged that BJP was involved in horse trading since the beginning of 2018 elections. "BJP has murdered democracy in MP and now trying to influence democratic values through money power," said former Congress minister,

Brijendra Singh Rathore

.

In March this year, Congress suffered a big blow when former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, alongwith 22 Congress MLAs, joined BJP after quitting the grand old party which had resulted into the fall of Kamal Nath-led government in the state.