Bhopal, April 1 (IANS): In a fresh jolt to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, the mayor of Chhindwara Municipal Corporation, Vikram Ahake joined the BJP on Monday.

Chhindwara is a stronghold of Congress veteran Kamal Nath, and Vikram Ahake was considered to be one of his trusted aides.

Ahake, a young tribal leader, was elected as the Chhindwara Mayor in 2022. He was made a poster boy by the Congress. Kamal Nath’s supporters had then released Ahake’s photographs showing him working in fields, forest and riding bicycle with the message that a young tribal leader had been encouraged by the party.

On Monday Ahake reached the BJP headquarters in Bhopal and joined the BJP. Madhya Pradesh BJP President V.D. Sharma, who is contesting for his second term from the Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat, welcomed Ahake and some other Congress workers.

The jolt to Kamal Nath came a day after one of his trusted aides and Congress MLA, Kamlesh Shah (Amarwara) shifted to the BJP on Sunday. The Congress bagged all eight Assembly seats of Chhindwara in 2023.

Former MLA Deepak Saxena, who had even vacated the Chhindwara Assembly seat for Kamal Nath in 2019, has maintained distance from the Nath family. Saxena has not joined the BJP so far, however, he had a close-door meeting with CM Mohan Yadav last week.

On the other hand, Kamal Nath, who is making all efforts to ensure the second victory for his son, is making an emotional appeal to seek support from Chhindwara voters. Kamal Nath had won as many as nine Lok Sabha elections from Chhindwara and he was also elected MLA twice.