Supporters of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend an election campaign rally in Meerut, India, March 31, 2024.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Politics, with its labyrinthine twists and turns, often paints a vivid portrait of human ambition and ideological evolution. In recent years, the Indian political landscape has witnessed a notable phenomenon - the departure of Congress stalwarts who have ditched the grand old party and embraced the saffron fold.
Gaurav Vallabh, a familiar name in Congress circles, recently made headlines by bidding adieu to the party and swiftly embracing the saffron hues of the BJP within hours of resignation.
Vallabh, a former professor at XLRI Jamshedpur known for his quirky critiques of BJP policies, candidly expressed his grievances, citing the 'lack of direction within the Congress ranks.' In his resignation letter to Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Vallabh articulated his discomfort with the party's rhetoric. "I can neither raise anti-Sanatan slogans nor abuse wealth creators day in and day out. Therefore, I resign from all posts and primary membership of the party."
Previously, other Congress spokesperson have also traversed similar path.
Another notable spokesperson, Jaiveer Shergill, made the switch from the Congress to the BJP in 2022. Shergill, distinguished for his articulate defense of Congress policies as a media panelist, found himself at odds with the internal dynamics of the party. His lamentation over being compelled to bow before certain influences in attempts to meet the Gandhis underscores the internal struggles that often precipitate such departures.
In the annals of Congress dissenters, another spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla's journey stands as a testament to the clash between individual conscience and party allegiance.
In 2017, he gained attention by denouncing the Congress's organisational elections as fraudulent. Following this, he joined the BJP and assumed the role of its spokesperson. By 2021, he was additionally entrusted with overseeing the BJP's social media operations in the national capital.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi, another seasoned politician and spokesperson, who once adorned the mantle of UP Congress chief and state minister, made waves with her defection to the BJP in 2016. She is daughter of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Joshi's departure occurred against the backdrop of internal power struggles and leadership transitions within the Congress.
Her move came shortly after the Congress nominated Sheila Dikshit as its candidate for chief minister in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections.
Priyanka Chaturvedi, a prominent Congress spokesperson, also embarked on a divergent path when she embraced the Shiv Sena in 2019 before the Uddhav Thackeray-led party exited the NDA and joined hands with the Congress. She expressed scorn over Congress reinstating party workers who had misbehaved with Chaturvedi at a press briefing in Mathura in 2015, few days after suspending them.
As these erstwhile Congress voices get find new platforms for engagement, their journeys offer insights into the evolving contours of Indian politics and the enduring quest for relevance in an ever-changing landscape.