Chhattisgarh’s ruling BJP got a major fillip on Wednesday as scion of Bastar’s royal family Kamalchand Bhanjdeo joined the saffron party at a high-profile function held at State party headquarters.

The BJP was trying to woo Bhanjdeo for months as party’s  internal updated survey indicated that BJP would

suffer jolt on at least 5-6 seats in Bastar region in Assembly polls which is scheduled in the State by the year-end.

The Congress which is out of power since December 2003, was also desperate to bring Bhanjdeo into party fold, but it lost to BJP’s poll strategists.

The massive tribal population of Bastar region which has 12 Assembly seats, have a deep generations-old affection with Bastar royal family and in several seats, the call of Kamalchand Bhanjdeo would decide the fate of candidates.

BJP sources say the party needs to repeat its 2008 poll performance this year to score a hat-trick. But a recent internal survey conducted by the BJP in the State indicated that the party would suffer defeats at as many as six seats in Bastar region mainly because of anti-incumbency against local MlAs.

The BJP had won 11 seats out of Bastar’s total 12 seats in year 2008 and the Congress managed to pull off victory in Konta seat only where its nominee Kawasi lakhma won by a margin of just 192 votes.

The senior leaders of the BJP have termed the entry of Bhanjdeo into the party ‘a big boost for the party’ in the region which holds key for Government formation in the State.

BJP national general secretary and party in-charge for Chhattisgarh JP Nadda, national joint secretary (organisation) Saudan Singh, Chhattisgarah Chief Minister Raman Singh, BJP State Chief Ramsewak Paikra and almost entire frontline leadership of the party in Chhattisgarh received Bhanjdeo and his dozens of supporters at the State party headquarters on Wednesday afternoon and hailed his decision to join BJP.