Congress received a major jolt in Madhya Pradesh on Monday when its candidate for Indore Lok Sabha constituency, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination and joined the BJP.
The Congress candidate accompanied by BJP MLA from Indore, Shankar Lalwani and sitting MP Ramesh Mendola, reached the district election office and withdrew his nomination.
Later they all met senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayavargiya in the latter's office, where Bam joined the party.
Congress had fielded Akshay Kanti Bam against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani, a close aide of Vijayvargiya.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who was in Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) for Union Minister Smriti Irani's nomination, was scheduled to visit Jharkhand later. However, after the development, he was flying back to Indore.
The polling in Indore and six other Lok Sabha seats in the Malwa-Nimar region will be held in the fourth phase on May 13.
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