Prominent Tribal Leader From Rajasthan Quits BJP To Congress

Jaipur: Veteran tribal leader Mahendrajit Singh Malviya who left the Congress before the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 to join the BJP has one again returned to the Congress.

Malviya, a prominent leader from the Banswara-Dungarpur region of Vagad, told ETV Bharat that his heart belonged to the Congress. Malviya met Congress state in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, state president Govind Singh Dotasara, and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Julie at the Constitution Club in the presence of MLAs Arjun Bamnia and Ramila Khadia on Sunday.

Malviya is a four-time MLA from the Bagidora Assembly constituency and was also elected as an MP from Banswara in 1998. As Water Resources Minister in the former Ashok Gehlot government, he made significant contributions to the development of Vagad region.

In the 2024 Assembly elections, he won the Bagidora seat by a landslide, but just before the Lok Sabha elections, upset at over not being given the position of Leader of the Opposition, he joined the BJP. The BJP gave him a ticket from the Banswara-Dungarpur Lok Sabha seat, but he lost to Rajkumar Roat of the Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) by nearly 250,000 votes.

He also lost his MLA seat in the by-election. Malviya said, "I went to the BJP as I was inspired by the party's double engine slogan, but it only stalled development work in the state."

In Sunday's meeting, Malviya told the state leadership that the workers and people of his area only accept the Congress. "We joined the BJP, but our hearts remained with the Congress. We were, are, and will always remain Congressmen," he said. Malviya emphasized that only the Congress truly represents the SC, ST, OBC, and minority communities. He cited leaders like Hardev Joshi and Mohanlal Sukhadia, who became Chief Ministers from his region.

Welcoming him, Dotasara said Malviya's experience will strengthen the Congress, especially in the tribal belt of the state.

Upon his return to the Congress, Malviya announced a major conference of tribals from three states—Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. "The main issue will be the Modi government's MNREGA policy," he said.

Malviya called the BJP a 'bubble' and said, "Development can only be achieved by those in power. Poor areas need a government, and people are unhappy with the BJP." Political analysts believe that Malviya's return will strengthen the Congress's tribal vote bank, especially in the upcoming by-elections and local body elections.