Setback for Cong in Kamal Nath Home Turf, Chhindwara Mayor Vikram Ahake Joins BJP

Even though BJP was repeatedly defeated in Kamal Nath's home turf Chhindwara, Congress has suffered a major jolt here as Chhindwara major Vikram Ahake joined BJP two days after three-term MLA of Amarwara in this district, Kamlesh Shah, joined the saffron party.

Bhopal: In a yet another setback to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district, mayor of Chhindwara Municipality, Vikram Ahake, joined the ruling BJP on Monday. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP state president BD Sharma gave Ahake party membership at the CM's residence.

This comes two days after Congress's three-term MLA from Amarwara, Kamlesh Shah had joined the BJP. Chhindwara is known as the bastion of senior Congress leader and former CM Kamal Nath. This is the only seat that the Congress won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Aged 31 years, Ahake is the youngest mayor of the state. He was responsible for making the grand old party return to Chhindwara after 18 years. He hails from a very poor tribal family and has been associated with the Congress for a long time.

He said that he joined BJP as he is influenced by the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It is necessary to have a double engine government for the overall development of the region. Faster development will be possible in the area and all the schemes of the Centre will be implemented properly here," he said.

BJP has been working on its strategy to weaken Kamal Nath's strength in Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat. Recently, BJP had given a big blow to Kamal Nath by including one of his most dedicated supporters, Kamlesh Shah, into the party-fold. Prior to this, three former MLAs, 40 councillors and many officials including village sarpanches have joined the BJP in Chhindwara.

Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath is Congress candidate for Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, while BJP has fielded Vivek Bunty Sahu here. Among the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, Chhindwara is the sole seat where BJP has been facing continuous defeat. Kamal Nath is a sitting MP from this seat for nine terms and was MLA twice. Post 1980, Kamal Nath was defeated only once by BJP's Sunderlal Patwa in a bye-election on 1997.

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