BJP leader Jai Prakash Bhai Patel on Wednesday joined the Congress party days after the Election Commission of India announced the Lok Sabha poll 2024 schedule.
The ex-BJP MLA joined the Congress in the presence of AICC in-charge of Jharkhand Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Jharkhand Congress chief Rajesh Thakur, Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam, and party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera in Delhi.
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Patel was elected to the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly from Mandu which falls under the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha segment as a member of the BJP. Patel is a son of late Tek Lal Mahto.
Before BJP and Congress, Patel had been an MLA of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Patel said that the rationale behind quitting the BJP was that he was unable to find his father's ideology in the NDA. On Wednesday, the former BJP MLA vowed to work to strengthen the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand.
Patel said Jharkhand has resolved to ensure INDIA bloc's victory in all 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
"I have joined the Congress not for any greed or post but for ideology and to fulfill the dreams of my father had for the state," Patel said.
Patel could be fielded by the Congress from the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming polls.
Jharkhand Lok Sabha election 2024:
Jharkhand will go to polls in 4 phases from 13 May to 1 June. The results of the Lok Sabha election will be declared on 4 June.
In the four-phase election schedule, constituencies that will cast votes on 13 May are Khunti, Lohardaga, Palamu, and Singhbhum. On 20 May (Phase-5), polling will be held in Chatra, Hazaribagh, and Kodarma. On 25 May (Phase-6), votes will be cast in Dhanbad, Girdih, Jamshedpur and Ranchi. And, on 1 June (Phase-7), voting will be done in Dumka, Godda and Rajmahal