Congress leaders Suresh Pachouri, Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi join BJP in Bhopal

NEW DELHI: Former Union minister Suresh Pachouri on Saturday joined BJP in Bhopal. Along with Pachouri, ex-MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi and several others, including the party's former MLAs, also joined the saffron unit.

Pachouri explaining his switch told reporters, "Congress has alienated from the principles and policies it has been known for. It has alienated itself from the public and is unable to establish a relationship."

Pachouri, Rajukhedi and other leaders joined BJP in presence of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav, state BJP president V D Sharma, and former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, welcoming them at the party's state headquarters in the morning.

Chouhan attributed Pachouri's exit to Congress' leadership vacuum, stating, "It seems Rahul Gandhi will breathe easy only after finishing off Congress." Chouhan, now contesting from Vidisha, highlighted a trend of disillusionment among Congress leaders.

Sharma also emphasised Pachouri's significance in MP, saying, "Former Union Minister and Congress leader Suresh Pachouri is a tall leader in MP Congress. Since there is no place for leaders of his stature in Congress anymore, he has joined BJP and will work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

BJP stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya also took a jibe at the grand old party saying, "All tall leaders are deserting the Congress even as Rahul is busy with his Nyay Yatra. All leaders and workers in Congress have come to this realisation that if anyone can do justice to people across the country, it is PM Modi. So, many are switching sides and joining BJP."

(With inputs from agencies)