Kamal Nath joining BJP? A look at the big exits from Congress since 2019
Speculation is rife that Congress veteran Kamal Nath is going to defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If he does, Kamal Nath will join a long list of prominent leaders who have left the Congress party in the last few years.
Photo Credits: ANI
Here’s a look at the notable personalities to have exited Congress since 2019.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Jyotiraditya Scindia
Jyotiraditya Scindia left the Congress party in March 2020 with at least 22 MLAs in Madhya Pradesh, toppling the Kamal Nath government. Scindia joined the BJP and became a Union minister.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Jitin Prasada
Jitin Prasada left the Congress party in June 2021, only a few months before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. He was a Union minister in the previous Congress-led government. He is currently a cabinet minister in the BJP.
Photo Credits: Instagram/@jitinprasada
Amarinder Singh
Former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh resigned from the Congress party in November 2021. Singh's defection was preceded by a long-drawn battle with Navjot Singh Sidhu and other state legislators.
Photo Credits: Instagram/@capt_amarindersingh
RPN Singh
Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh switched to the BJP in January 2022 ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The BJP recently named Singh as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons
Ashwani Kumar
Former Union minister Ashwani Kumar left Congress after a 46-year-long association with the party in February 2022. Kumar slammed Amrinder Singh's humiliation that led to his resignation and predicted an easy win for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab.
Photo Credits: HT File Photo
Kapil Sibal
Senior advocate and former Union minister Kapil Sibal quit Congress in May 2022 and was elected to Rajya Sabha as an independent candidate with support from the Samajwadi Party.
Photo Credits: ANI
Sunil Jakhar
The former Punjab Congress chief announced his resignation from the Congress party during a Facebook Live in May 2022 and joined the BJP.
Photo Credits: ANI
Ghulam Nabi Azad
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned in August 2022. Azad announced his own political party, Democratic Progressive Azad Party, following his resignation.
Photo Credits: PTI
Milind Deora
Former Union minister Milind Deora left Congress and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in January 2024. Deora has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by Shiv Sena.
Photo Credits: PTI
Ashok Chavan
Former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan resigned from Congress in this month to join the BJP. Chavan became Maharashtra's third key Congress leader to quit the party after Milind Deora and Baba Siddique.