Lok Sabha Elections 2024: After Surat, Indore Congress Candidate Withdraws Name, Joins BJP

Congress nominee from Madhya Pradesh's Indore Lok Sabha seat, Akshay Kanti Bam, has withdrawn his candidature, an official said on Monday. The Congress had fielded Bam against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani from the Indore Lok Sabha seat, where polling will be held on May 13.

An official confirmed that Bam has withdrawn his candidature. Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and state cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya in a post on X said Bam was welcome to join the BJP.

"Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore Akshay Kanti Bam is welcome in the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president JP Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state president VD Sharma," he said in the post.

This is the second big shocker to the Grand Old Party ahead of the Lok Sabha election 2024 results. Last week, Congress' Surat candidate Nilesh Kumbhani's candidate was rejected by the poll panel as his proposrs turned down and discrepancies were found in their signatures.

Along with Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola also accompanied Akshay Kanti Bam in the car and their picture has created a buzz on the internet. Mendola is a trusted associate of Vijayvargiya. The minister said Bam was welcome to join the BJP.

INDIA bloc's substitute candidate Suresh Padsala's nomination was also rejected from the Surat seat. Later, the rest of the candidates, who were willing to contest independently, also took their names back, resulting in a walkover to the BJP candidate.

The incident sparked a huge political debate and leveled questions against the BJP as it doesn't want a democratic process to take place. Congress workers and leaders have also started gathering outside Akshay Kanti Bam's house as they seem not happy with the young leader's decision to switch sides.