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Time of India

Congress questions need for BJP to "poach" their members

Nagpur: As the BJP continues to induct taluka-level Congress leaders ahead of the crucial local body polls in Nagpur district, the Congress has raised questions about the urgency behind this 'recruitment drive'. Recently, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed that several Congress members from Saoner and other talukas were joining the BJP, adding that many more were in the queue. Saoner, long considered a stronghold of Congress leader Sunil Kedar, was wrested by the BJP in the 2024 Assembly elections with Ashish Deshmukh's victory. Now, the BJP is aiming to take control of the Zilla Parishad (ZP), currently dominated by Kedar loyalists. Party insiders believe that dismantling Kedar's influence in rural Nagpur could help the saffron party consolidate its position as the district's dominant political force. Many political analysts argue that in the rural local body elections, the BJP is effectively contesting against Kedar rather than the Congress as a whole. During the Lok Sabha elections, Kedar-backed candidate Shyam Barve managed to secure a win despite an aggressive campaign by the Mahayuti alliance. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Bawankule's statements, along with videos of Congress members joining the BJP being circulated on social media, have triggered sharp reactions from Kedar supporters. Kunda Raut, former vice president of Nagpur ZP, took a jab at the BJP on social media, saying, "If the BJP is truly in a strong position, why would they need to steal Congress members?" "Those joining the BJP know they are likely to lose the polls, so they want to be associated with the party in power at the state level. But people have seen through their hunger for power and shifting loyalties. BJP's poaching tactics won't work in local polls, where voters prioritize the individual over the party," another Congress leader said.