Manvendra Singh (R) with Rahul Gandhi Key Highlights It has been a fight for 'swabhimaan' (self respect). The decision to quit the BJP was not my own but that of our entire 'Swabhimaan Sena': Manvendra Singh Individuals are not bigger than the party. BJP does not have a character where people consider themselves bigger than the party and think that they run the party: BJP leader NEW DELHI/JAIPUR: Rajasthan BJP MLA Manvendra Singh , the son of former BJP stalwart Jaswant Singh , joined the Congress on Wednesday ahead of assembly elections in the state in December. The BJP, however, played down the move and said it won't affect the party's prospects. It has been a fight for self respect, Manvendra Singh said while addressing the media later in the day in the presence of Rajasthan Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Avinash Pande, Jitendra Singh and Randeep Surjewala. "It has been a fight for 'swabhimaan' (self respect). The decision to quit the BJP was not my own but that of our entire 'Swabhimaan Sena'," he said, referring to his supporters who have been targeted by the BJP and have also quit the party. Reacting to Manvendra's move, senior BJP leader Rao Rajendra Singh said "individuals are not bigger than the party". "Individuals are not bigger than the party. BJP does not have a character where people consider themselves bigger than the party and think that they run it (the party),” said Singh, who is also the deputy speaker in the 14th Rajasthan assembly. He said Manvendra Singh was already suspended from party's primary membership for campaigning against the BJP's candidate in 2014 general election in Barmer. Manvendra Singh, the BJP MLA from Sheo constituency had campaigned for his father Jaswant Singh who had contested the 2014 general election as an independent candidate after failing to get a ticket from the saffron party. The BJP leader said that it was the hard work of the party workers in establishing the identity of any leader or individual and Manvendra Singh had insulted the workers. However, the party firmly believes that Manvendra Singh's exit will not affect the morale of the workers and they will continue to work for the BJP's victory in the upcoming assembly election, Singh said. He also refuted allegations that the Rajput community had drifted away from the BJP, stressing that the party does not see any caste or community as a vote bank. Singh further said that Manvendra Singh had joined a party where the dictatorship of one family reigns supreme. Welcoming Manvendra, AICC general secretary Gehlot said only two people — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah — are ruling in the country and leaders in the BJP were feeling suffocated. Alleging that there was a sense of fear and intimidation in the "rule of tyranny", Gehlot said the Modi government's veil was coming off with exposes on corruption, particularly in the Rafale fighter jet deal. "Today, every person in the country is frightened and there is an atmosphere of distrust and agencies like income tax department, ED and CBI are being abused," Gehlot alleged. He cited "the way" Jaswant Singh was targeted as part of a "conspiracy" and claimed there was a long line of people who want to quit the BJP and join the Congress. "Rahul Gandhi will have to take a call on whether to make them join or not," he said. Welcoming Manvendra Singh, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Pilot said "it is a lesson for the BJP and time for them to introspect". "The arrogance in the BJP under Vasundhara Raje has crossed all limits and people are looking at alternatives and that is why they are tying with the Congress," Pilot said. "We believe this has strengthened the Congress party in Rajasthan," he said, adding that this will help defeat the Raje-led government. All communities, he said, will unite and fight against the BJP and the Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan. "We will win and form a people's government," he said.<doc-sep>Chhattisgarh Congress working president and tribal leader Ramdayal Uike joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, accusing the grand old party of “neglecting” tribal leaders in its fold. On the same day, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi launched the poll campaign of their alliance, announced last month, in Bilaspur. The BSP will contest 35 seats and Jogi’s Janata Congress 55 seats in the 90-member assembly. Uike, a well-known tribal face of the Congress in the Bilaspur region, said tribal leaders were being neglected in the Congress. “There is a difference in what they (Congress) say and what they do,” Uike said. Chhattisgarh will vote in a two-phase assembly election in November. The Congress is seeking to end the uninterrupted 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Uike was a BJP MLA from the Marwahi seat in 2003, when he joined the Congress and resigned his seat to make way for Jogi, the first chief minister of the state. Jogi left the Congress in 2016 to start his own party, the Janata Congress. “Congress has neglected the interest of tribals, backward and poor people. Chief Minister Raman Singh has been making efforts for development of tribals and backward people and his development policies have impressed me and I am rejoining the home party,” Uike said, describing his move as “ghar-wapsi” (homecoming). Congress spokesperson Sailesh Nitin Trivedi said Uike’s joining the BJP was no loss for the party which, he added, has may other prominent tribal leaders. “Till yesterday, he was very active in the Congress which suggests that a conspiracy took place last night,” he said. “ Uike came back to us because of the infighting within the Congress. The party is apathetic towards the tribals and their leaders and hence tribal leaders are not happy in Congress “ Sachhinand Upasane, BJP spokesperson said. Polls in Chhattisgarh will take place in two phases; the 18 assembly seats in the Maoist affected Bastar region will go to polls on November 12 and the remaining 72 on November 20. The counting of votes will take place on December 7 together with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Telangana. Meanwhile, Mayawati accused the BJP of raking up the Ayodhya Ram temple issue for electoral gains and claimed that mob-lynching in the name of cow protection was happening in BJP-ruled states. She also questioned why the BJP was not responding to repeated questions on the controversial Rafale jet fighter deal, but blamed both the Congress and the BJP for irregularities that have taken place in defence deals. The BJP and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government have denied any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal. The party has also disassociated itself from the mob lynchings, noting that action has been taken against suspects.<doc-sep>Uikey has been the only Congress legislator who has struck hatrick in back to back assembly elections RAIPUR: In a major blow to Congress party, Ramdayal Uikey the party working president and legislator on Saturday joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of BJP national president Amit Shah and chief minister Raman Singh in Bilaspur. Uikey who has been serving as Congress MLA from Pali-Tanakhar was BJP member before joining Congress in 2000, calls the move as "Ghar Wapsi". The move comes almost a month ahead of Chhattisgarh goes for polls in November. It is being considered as a major setback for Congress party as Uikey played a significant role in party politics. Uikey was a member of BJP earlier and had joined Congress in 2000 when the BJP was very critical on his move and the senior party workers had said that those switched to other parties will never be entertained in future. Considering the political hot-up in Chhattisgarh, BJP has accepted Uikey and has reportedly offered him a powerful position if the party returns to power. After returning to BJP, Uikey on Saturday told mediapersons, "I felt suffocated in Congress due to so much of CD politics and infighting among leaders. Congress is not a strong party anymore. Another reason for my come-back is that I wasn't valued and was never given a powerful stand in party but only position. This isn't me joining BJP but it's my 'ghar wapsi' to my party." Uikey added that the party that doesn't respect its tribal leader and neglect them, will have to face such shifts quite frequently. He indicated how party leaders avoided him during significant decision-making and meetings which left him hurt. He said that there was difference in what they (Congress) say and what they do. Chief minister Raman Singh said that Uikey's return would strengthen party's stand. Uikey has been the only Congress legislator who has struck hatrick in back to back assembly elections. In 2013 he defeated HIra Singh Markam of Gondwana Gantantra Party by 28813 votes, in 2008 he won by 29443 votes against Markam and in 2003 he beat Markam by 20313 votes. BJP all this while had been on third position at Pali-Tanakhar constituency. However, this time former chief minister Ajit Jogi will field his candidate from Janata Congress Party in alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party, hence, it would be close contest among four parties. After Uikey's return to party, BJP seems to be on an arm-chair from Pali-Tanakhar seat. Reacting on the move, leader of opposition TS Singhdeo said that it comes as a surprise to the party leaders that Uikey has decided to join BJP while there was no specific reason to it, as Congress has extended all support, respect and position to him. Singhdeo added that now that Uikey has joined BJP, Congress doesn't lack in representation and the more deserving candidates would get chance. Uikey joined BJP in a high-profile event at Bilasput in presence of Amit Shah, Raman Singh, state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik and other dignitaries.<doc-sep>Jaipur: Manvendra Singh, son of veteran BJP leader Jaswant Singh, joined the Congress on Tuesday in a significant political development ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan. He met Congress president Rahul Gandhi before joining the party in the presence of leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Avinash Pande and Randeep Surjewala. The party announced the move at a press conference. "I met Rahul Gandhi in the morning and he welcomed me into the Party. I have confidence that my supporters will continue to support me," Manvendra said. Congress leaders believe his joining the party will help bring in Rajput votes in the assembly polls. The move came after Manvendra declared he would quit the BJP in his 'Swabhiman Rally' held in Barmer last month where he had said "Kamal ka phool, badi bhool". The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that the decision will not have any impact on the party's prospects in western Rajasthan. "It is a politically wrong decision of Manvendra Singh which will have no impact on the BJP. Rajput votes have been with the BJP and will remain with us," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore told reporters. Polling in Rajasthan will be held on December 7. Manvendra Singh won as a BJP candidate from the Sheo assembly constituency of Barmer district in 2013 assembly polls. His father Jaswant Singh was denied ticket by the party in 2014 Lok Sabha elections following which he (Jaswant) contested elections as an independent candidate and lost the seat to BJP's Sonaram, who had joined the party from the Congress and was backed by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The decision of not allowing Jaswant Singh to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls antagonised the Rajput community that held Raje responsible for neglecting Jaswant Singh for an "outsider" Sonaram. There was resentment among his supporters who rallied after Manvendra Singh making it an issue of their 'swabhiman'.<doc-sep>
Ramdayal Uike, the working president of Congress unit in election bound Chhattisgarh and MLA from Pali-Tanakhar rejoined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday after a 15-year stint in the grand old party. A tribal leader from the Bilaspur region, Uike joined the BJP in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah and chief minister Raman Singh and accused the Congress of ignoring interests of tribals. “Tribal leaders are neglected and not favoured in the Congress. There is a difference in what they say and what they do,” Uike said. “Congress has neglected interest of tribals, backward and poor people and I am sad since I am tribal leader. Chief Minister Raman Singh has been making efforts for overall development of tribals and backward people and his development oriented policies have impressed me to rejoin my old party,” Uike said describing his move as “ghar-wapsi”. He also said that he was feeling suffocated in Congress. “Congress is bogged down in the CD case and it seems that senior leader of Delhi are instructing Congress state president Bhupesh Baghel to get involved in CDs,” said Uike in a press conference. The reference was to Chhattisgarh Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel, an accused in a case involving the circulation of a “sex CD” purportedly featuring a state BJP minister. Uike had joined the Congress in 2000 from the BJP and had vacated the Marwahi seat to facilitate the entry of Ajit Jogi in Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly after he was sworn-in as first Chief Minister of the state. Asked about contesting the upcoming election, he said he would follow the party leadership’s directions in this regard. Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly would be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. The Congress put up a brave face, insisting that there are other leaders to replace Uike. “The retuned back to BJP due to the same reasons he came to Congress with the help of Ajit Jogi. Till yesterday, he was with very active in Congress which suggests that a conspiracy took place last night. We are nowhere in loss even after his exit because we have other options,” said Congress spokesperson Sailesh Nitin Trivedi. .