BJP Madhya Pradesh spokesperson and former Congress leader Narendra Saluja passed away on Wednesday following a heart attack in Indore. He was rushed to a hospital on Khandwa Road after collapsing at around 3 p.m., but could not be revived despite medical intervention.
According to family members, Saluja had been feeling uneasy two days earlier while attending a wedding event at a resort in Sehore. During the event, he reportedly complained of discomfort and took medication for gastric issues. He was accompanied at the time by Surjit Singh Chaddha, a Congress leader from Indore. After returning to Indore, Saluja’s health deteriorated further, and he collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.
Just minutes before the incident, Saluja had posted his final message on social media platform X at 2:54 p.m., extending Akshaya Tritiya greetings and birthday wishes to several BJP leaders. The news of his sudden demise shortly afterward left political circles in shock.
Narendra Saluja had been a prominent figure in Madhya Pradesh politics. Once considered a close aide of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, Saluja served as the media coordinator for the Congress party in the state. However, following internal disagreements and disciplinary action taken against him by the Congress, Saluja parted ways with the party.
The fallout began in 2022 after a controversy at Khalsa College in Indore during a Prakash Parv celebration. At the event, Kamal Nath was presented with a siroopa (robe of honor), which drew strong objections from a kirtankar who accused the former CM of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This incident reportedly led to Kamal Nath distancing himself from Saluja, whom Congress accused of engineering the controversy. Saluja was subsequently barred from entering the PCC headquarters, with the party claiming he had been expelled—though Saluja maintained he had voluntarily left, inspired by the BJP’s ideology.
On November 25, 2022, Saluja officially joined the BJP in the presence of then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Forest Minister Vijay Shah. His induction was seen as a symbolic blow to the Congress. Shortly after, he was appointed as one of the official spokespersons of the BJP’s Madhya Pradesh unit. His sudden passing at a relatively young age has sent shockwaves through the political community, with many remembering him as a sharp communicator and a leader who transitioned between parties but remained deeply engaged.