‘Congress gave me posts below my potential’: Syed Zafar, long-time Kamal Nath loyalist, joins BJP

Congress leaders from Ratlam, Alot and several BSP leaders from other districts also joined the BJP.

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“After deliberating on this issue and holding discussions with top BJP leaders, I took this decision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sabka saath sabka vikas is being applauded on an international level; I joined the BJP since I believe in that slogan,” he said.

The BJP has been trying to wean away Congress leaders from the state and has managed to induct over 5,000 party leaders – from former MPs and MLAs to sarpanches – in the past month. In Chhindwara, the BJP claims to have weaned away over 1,500 leaders as it aims to weaken Nath’s organisation and defeat his son, Nakul, the sitting MP from Chhindwara, the lone seat the BJP failed to win in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Zafar began his political career in Chhindwara as an NSUI block level leader. He then went on to become the student body’s spokesperson and eventually the Congress committee spokesperson.

“I have no complaints against Kamal Nath. He was like my father in the past and will continue to be so in the future… Most of the Congress leaders who are joining the BJP are doing so because of (Chhindwara BJP candidate) Vivek Bunty Sahu… All these years, the party (Congress) gave me posts which were below my potential,” Zafar said.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said, “Zafar and BSP officials have joined the party influenced by its ideology and the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I assure everyone that wherever workers join the party, development work will be carried out as per your guidance.”

Dr Sanwar Patel, the BJP state spokesperson and chairman of the State Waqf Board, said the inclusion of Jafar into the BJP was an indicator that the “Muslim community is beginning to understand the intentions of Congress, leading to disillusionment”.

“For decades, Congress misled the Muslim community. But now, the eyes of the Muslim society in the country have opened, and the people of the minority community can clearly see through the appeasement trap of the Congress,” Patel said.