Congress suffers jolt ahead of Madhya Pradesh bypolls, 300 workers including Dinesh Girwal quit party to join BJP

The Congress rebels were administered the oath of the party at the BJP office by Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma.

New Delhi: The Congress suffered a major setback before assembly bye-elections in Madhya Pradesh after its 300 workers from Badnawar quit the grand-old party to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). According to reports, the Congress party workers decided to quit the party in support of former MLA Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon.

In addition, Dinesh Girwal, a Congress candidate from Dhar Lok Sabha constituency, also resigned from the party and joined the BJP.

The Congress rebels were administered the oath of the party at the BJP office by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and BJP state president Vishnu Dutt Sharma. 

In the membership ceremony, CM Chouhan also inaugurated the office of Election Management Committee, which has been set up for the by-elections, to be held in the state latest by the end of September this year.

The by-elections are to be held on 24 seats in the state in - Sumavali, Morena, Dimani, Ambah, Mehgaon, Gohad, Gwalior, Gwalior East, Dabra, Bhander, Karera, Pohri, Bamori, Ashoknagar, Mungavali, Surkhi, Sanchi, Anuppur, Sanver, Hatpipalya, Suwasra, Badnawar, Jaura, Agar-Malwa seats.