Ajay Shah, the elder brother of Madhya Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Minister Vijay Shah, joined the Congress in Bhopal on Tuesday. Smarting after the defection of its Bhind candidate and former MP Bhagirath Prasad to the BJP, Ajay donning the khadi garland is being seen as vendetta by the Congress.
The scion of the royal household of Makrai, Ajay has recently taken voluntary retirement from the Canara Bank in Bhopal where he was an Assistant General Manager. Besides Vijay – who is the BJP MLA from Harsud, another brother Sanjay is also a BJP MLA from Timarni. Both seats fall under the Betul parliamentary constituency currently held by Jyoti Dhurve of the BJP.
The Shahs were reportedly lobbying for Mr. Ajay to be given the Betul seat but the BJP decided to stick with Dhurve. The Congress has already named Rahul Chouhan as its candidate.
"I was born into the BJP and my whole family are members. When someone like me joins the Congress, it should raise questions on how the BJP functions. This is a private decision, but my family is aware of why I joined. I have not done so to get a ticket," Mr. Ajay said.
Mr. Vijay Shah responded saying that Mr. Ajay took the decision despite the family advising him against it. "I advised him but could not stop him. It's a democracy. He was never a member of the BJP and his joining the Congress has nothing to do with me," he told the press.
MP Congress Committee President Arun Yadav said that more defections are expected in the near future. "Our Betul candidate will not be changed. Ajay ji has come to serve the party as will many others," he said.
Reacting to the development, MP Urban Development, Housing and Environment Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said that Mr. Ajay's decision was surprising when people were leaving the Congress in hordes.
"People like Ajay Shah or Bhagirath Prasad do not affect the ground situation. Narendra Modi will become PM irrespective of defections," he said in Indore.
