Causing a blow to the Madhya Pradesh Congress party, Syed Zafar, a close associate of former chief minister Kamal Nath, changed sides and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday.
Jafar, who had previously criticized the BJP's administration at both the central and state levels, hinted at a potential change around two weeks ago when he expressed support for the implementation of the CAA.However, he denied such claims, dismissing them as mere 'media creations'.
Syed Jafar’s joining took place at the BJP headquarters in the city, where he was welcomed by the state president V.D. Sharma. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the party's co-in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, Satish Upadhyay, and senior leader Narottam Mishra, who chairs the party's joining committee were present at the moment.
Jafar, considered a part of Kamal Nath's inner circle, is the second leader to move to the BJP in the last year. Before him, Narendra Saluja, who served as the head of the media cell in the Madhya Pradesh Congress, switched to the BJP before the Assembly elections last year.
This occurs as Kamal Nath is trying to keep the party members united, especially in Chhindwara, to ensure his son Nakul Nath's success. Nakul is contesting the Lok Sabha election for the second time from his family's stronghold.
KK Mishra, the chairman of the state Congress media department, mentioned that Zafar was not holding any position within the party.