Bhopal: In a setback to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, party leader Shivkumar Urmalia today joined BJP in the presence of state party chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan and former chief minister Babulal Gaur here.
Urmalia said he took the decision to join the saffron party as he was impressed by the personality of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
“I am also impressed by the kind of welfare works being carried out by the BJP government in the state and will contribute in all possible manner in the party’s Mission 2018,” he said.
Assembly elections in the state are due in 2018.
Urmalia had served as vice-president of Madhya Pradesh Congress. He also unsuccessfully contested from Govindpura assembly constituency in Bhopal against Gaur in 2003.
The state’s Cooperatives Minister Vishwas Sarang and Bhopal MP and party’s spokesman Alok Sanjar among others were present on the occasion.