The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) encountered a significant setback in Bihar on Tuesday as its Member of Parliament from Muzaffarpur, Ajay Nishad, defected to the Congress party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Nishad formally joined the Congress at the party's headquarters in Delhi, in the presence of senior party leader Pawan Khera.
Expressing his disillusionment with the BJP, Nishad cited the denial of a ticket for the upcoming polls as the catalyst for his departure. "I want to break someone's arrogance and regain my lost respect," he remarked, lamenting the lack of consultation from the BJP regarding his candidacy.
Earlier in the day, Nishad had publicly announced his resignation from all positions within the BJP, denouncing what he termed as "betrayal" from the saffron party.
Speculation surrounding his departure heightened when he removed the 'Modi Ka Parivaar' tag from his social media profile.
"A person on a death row is also asked for his last wish...you (BJP) cancelled my ticket and didnt even ask me once. I came to know through media that I haven't been given the ticket. This is not correct," he added.
Earlier in the day, he said he resigned from the BJP after he was "shocked" by the "betrayal" from the saffron party.
"Respected @JPNadda ji, shocked by the betrayal of @BJP4India, I resign from all posts and primary membership of the party," he said in a post on X.
Having secured victory in the Muzaffarpur constituency for consecutive terms since 2014, his defection to the Congress holds strategic implications for the upcoming elections.
In the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Nishad emerged victorious, defeating prominent opponents from rival parties.
While the BJP has nominated Raj Bhushan Choudhary Nishad as its candidate for the Muzaffarpur seat in the upcoming elections, the Congress is speculated to offer Ajay Nishad a ticket in recognition of his electoral prowess and local influence.
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