In a major setback to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Zila Panchayat Member and a Janpad Member in Bijapur switched over to Congress party on Wednesday.
They took the membership of the party in the presence of their hundreds of supporters and Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly T.S. Singhdeo, who was here at Bhopalpatanam to campaign for the party candidate.
Zila Panchayat member, Basant Rao Tati and Janpad Panchayat member from Sangampalli Vina Yalam on Wednesday joined Congress party before senior Congress leader Singhdeo. The leaders who joined Congress had alleged minister Mahesh Gagda for being inactive.
Tati was active in BJP politics since 1980 and had also served as Vice Chairman of the Zila Panchayat of undivided Dantewada district. Once he was also District General Secretary of BJP and was twice Mandal President. He joined Congress along with around 200 supporters.
Notably, Tati played key role in Gagda getting lead in the Congress stronghold area of Bhopalpatanam.