Mumbai: In a potentially disruptive claim, senior BJP leader Ashish Deshmukh has predicted a significant fracture within the Congress party ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Deshmukh alleged that two former state ministers and two ex-presidents of the Maharashtra unit are in touch with the BJP and contemplating leaving Congress soon.
This bombshell revelation in a media interview sparked immediate political buzz amid two prominent Congress leaders changing parties. Milind Deora, a former MP, joined the Shinde Sena faction of the Shiv Sena, while Apurva Bhattacharya, the Assam Congress general secretary, remains unaffiliated with any party yet. Their departures, however, added fuel to the pre-existing murmurs of internal dissent within the Congress.
Adding to the intrigue, Deshmukh further asserted that several other Congress leaders were impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and the BJP's performance in Maharashtra. He maintained that their potential joining of the BJP would serve as a testament to the positive reception of the ruling party's work.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is currently traversing Maharashtra and will soon enter Assam. The Congress hopes this nationwide march will rejuvenate the party, but Deshmukh's assertions and the recent resignations suggest a simmering internal challenge.