'Ghar Wapsi': Scindia Loyalist Returns To Congress In Grand Style, Leads 1200-Car Convoy

Madhya Pradesh MLA Samandar Patel, who quit Congress and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2020 along with Jyotiraditya Scindia, returned to the grand old party on Friday, August 18. He was accompanied by hundreds of supporters and in the presence of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Notably, Patel led a cavalcade of about 1,200 cars from his constituency Jawad to Bhopal, a distance of about 413 kilometers. He submitted his resignation to the BJP party office in Bhopal.

Kamal Nath emphasized Patel's unconditional allegiance to the Congress ideology, traditions, principles, and party loyalty. The PCC chief expressed confidence that Patel's authentic commitment would resonate with the people of his constituency.

Taking a political stance, Nath recalled the context of the 2018 Congress government formation, contrasting it with the BJP-led government under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, which he alleged was established through financial influence and unethical means. He criticized the BJP's prolonged governance, pointing to corruption and scandals that have tarnished the state's reputation.

Nath further accused the Chouhan-led BJP administration of failing on multiple fronts, citing corruption, mistreatment of women, farmers, and youth. He asserted that the public's sentiment was turning against the current government, indicating a desire for change.

Responding to the shift, Patel expressed his contentment at rejoining the Congress party, underlining his positive feelings about the decision.

Importantly, Patel's move is not an isolated incident of Scindia loyalists aligning with the Congress. Recent examples include Baijnath Singh Yadav, a former district Congress President in Shivpuri, and Rakesh Gupta, who was associated with the trader community. Both individuals, previously aligned with Scindia, rejoined the Congress with their respective supporters.