In a political reshuffle, former minister and three-time ex-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Deepak Joshi joined Congress on Saturday.
Deepak Joshi, son of former Madhya Pradesh chief minister late and Jana Sangh leader Kailash Joshi, joined the party in the presence of state Congress chief Kamal Nath at the Congress headquarters in Bhopal.
Joshi accused MP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of insulting his father and not helping his family at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Joshi alleged during the second Covid wave, he needed to admit his wife to a hospital in Indore but received no help from the chief minister or the government and eventually, lost her life.
He has a good hold in the Malwa region especially on five seats of Dewas district. He was a three-time MLA from the Bagli and Hatpipaliya assembly constituencies in Dewas. After his third election victory, Joshi joined CM Chouhan’s cabinet and remained its member till 2018.
In 2018, Joshi lost to Congress candidate Manoj Chaudhary in Hatpiplya and later Chaudhary joined BJP with 22 other Congress MLAs in March 2020.
{{/usCountry}}In 2018, Joshi lost to Congress candidate Manoj Chaudhary in Hatpiplya and later Chaudhary joined BJP with 22 other Congress MLAs in March 2020.
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, to join the Congress, Joshi reached the party headquarters with the picture of his father.
Slamming the BJP, Joshi said that he had demanded the party to set up an idol of his father but state leaders didn’t pay any heed to his demand. They didn’t give even a small piece of land to give respect to the most honest political leader, Joshi said.
“The ideology of Jana Sangh has no space in BJP, that‘s why I am joining Congress. BJP leaders talked to me about this issue but failed to address my grievances,” Joshi said after joining the Congress in Bhopal. He also claimed the party leaders and workers can’t meet the chief minister and cabinet ministers even if they are in need.
“Today BJP has become a hi-tech party, in which the common worker has no place,” he added.
Nath welcomed Joshi to the Congress and said: “He told me that I do not want any assembly ticket. I was very surprised. I also invite other people like Joshi who support the truth,” Nath said.
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Along with Joshi, Radhelal Baghel, MLA from Datia district, also joined the Congress on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Ashish Agrawal, BJP MP media head said, Joshi insulted his father but 40 lakh workers of the BJP will take the ideology and legacy of late Kailash Joshi forward.
“Kailash Joshi is among those leaders who laid the foundation of Jan Sangh and the BJP. He had spent 19 months in jail while fighting against the ideology and policies of Congress during the emergency. Congress always insulted Kailash Joshi but today Deepak Joshi joined Congress by taking his photo in his hand to fulfil his political ambition. It was an insult for a Jansangh leader but 40 lakh workers of BJP will take his legacy forward,” said Agrawal.