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Akshay Kanti Bam, former Congress candidate in Indore, alleged party non-cooperation led to his withdrawal from the poll race on April 29. His departure left Congress out of the running for the seat it sought for 35 years. Bam subsequently switched allegiance, joining the BJP.

 

Akshay Kanti Bam, a former Congress candidate from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, claimed Sunday that non-cooperation from the party organisation forced him to withdraw from the poll race, subsequently joining the BJP.

 

Bam's sudden exit from the race on April 29 marked the end of the Congress party's aspirations to reclaim the Indore seat after 35 years of unsuccessful attempts.

 

Addressing reporters at the BJP's office in Indore, Bam, a businessman, expressed his disappointment, stating, "After I was picked as Congress nominee, I worked hard myself to garner votes, but such a big election can't be fought without the cooperation of the party's organisation."

 

He alleged that his poll programmes were delayed and that his publicity material failed to reach booth-level workers during his tenure as the Congress nominee. Despite reaching out to state and national party leaders about his concerns, he claimed no substantial action was taken.

 

"I wanted to organise poll meetings of senior leaders of Congress," Bam said, citing his attempts to address the issue internally.

 

Responding to criticism from the Congress party, which labelled him a deserter for defecting to the BJP, Bam questioned the party's trust in him. "Why did Congress make local leader Moti Singh a dummy candidate? This shows they didn't trust me," he asserted.

 

Regarding allegations of legal issues influencing his decision, Bam dismissed them as politically motivated, stating, "Such matters were brought out intentionally after I was declared as the Congress nominee."

 

Bam declined to comment on BJP veteran Sumitra Mahajan's remarks, where she expressed surprise over his last-minute exit from the poll arena, labelling it unfair. She had also said that voters have the right to decide in a democratic setting.

 

Bam said, "Tai (Mahajan) is not only a leader of Indore, but she is also a big leader in the country. I am too small to comment on her statement."

The sudden turn of events has left political circles in Indore buzzing, with voters now anticipating a new dynamic in the upcoming elections.