A BJP leader from the Rampur Assembly constituency, Brij Lal, along with approximately 250 of his supporters, joined the Congress party on the first day of its expansion campaign in Himachal Pradesh. The event took place at the Congress headquarters in Shimla in the presence of Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) president Vinay Kumar and Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh.
Expansion Campaign Kicks Off
Vinay Kumar announced that this is just the beginning, expecting around 10,000 BJP leaders and workers to join the Congress over the next month. The party's expansion campaign is scheduled to run from July 2 to July 30. Kumar claimed that disillusioned BJP leaders and workers from almost every district have been contacting him with requests to join the Congress. He further stated that a prominent BJP leader, along with around 2,000 supporters, is expected to join the Congress shortly.
Reasons for Defection
Brij Lal alleged that the BJP is no longer a party of the workers, as leaders are preoccupied with pursuing power for themselves. He expressed disillusionment with the BJP and decided to join the Congress. Brij Lal originally belonged to the Congress but moved to the BJP when offered a ticket to contest from the Rampur Assembly constituency. He contested twice on a BJP ticket but lost both times. In the last elections, the BJP denied him the ticket and gave it to an outsider, which hurt him deeply. He claimed he was joining the Congress unconditionally.
Future Plans
When asked if he was eyeing the Congress ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections next year, Brij Lal stated that he is now a Congress worker and will accept any responsibility the party decides to give him. The Congress expansion campaign aims to attract more BJP leaders and workers who are dissatisfied with the current state of the BJP.
