Jaipur: In a big blow to the Congress, former Rajasthan Cabinet Minister and Congress' tribal leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya joined the Bhartiya Janata Party on Monday ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a press conference, Rajasthan BJP President CP Joshi said, "Today, prominent leader from the tribal region, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, is joining the BJP. Influenced by the policies and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he has chosen to become a member of the BJP." #BREAKING Rajasthan senior Congress leader Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya joins BJP Malviya is a prominent face in southern Rajasthan’s tribal region, was reportedly miffed at not being appointed Leader of Opposition after Congress's defeat in recently held assembly election! pic.twitter.com/AaP2xjkTHc — Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) February 19, 2024 Joshi highlighted that Malviya himself has stated that significant developmental work has taken place in the tribal areas under the leadership of PM Modi. He also noted the historic achievement of an Adivasi woman becoming the President of the country, citing it as an impact of PM Modi's policies that has influenced Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya. Criticizing the grand old party before joining the BJP, Malviya said, "You can see the plight of Congress across the country. The party is being hounded and rendered hollow from within by a select few people. Somewhere, it has drifted from the vision it had for the country and the people. It is not there anymore". According to sources, Malviya was not 'happy' with the Congress leadership. Malviya currently represents the Bagidora Assembly seat in the Banswara district. As a tribal leader from southern Rajasthan where the BJP is considered to have a stronger footing than the Congress, his inclusion can assume significance before the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state. Malviya first became an MLA in 2008, defeating the Janata Dal (United)'s Jeetmal Khant by 45,000 votes. Despite strong anti-incumbency in 2013, which saw the Congress reduced to just 21 seats, Malviya retained his seat by defeating the BJP's Khemraj Garasiya. He prevailed over Garasiya again in 2018. In the 2023 Assembly elections, Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya defeated BADVP's Jaikrishn Patel from the Bagidora Assembly constituency.
