 "MP election: Former 'Bandit King' Malkhan Singh quits BJP, joins Congress")
Malkhan Singh, once one of the most dreaded dacoits of the Chambal ravines, joined the Congress party on Wednesday evening in the presence of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Kamal Nath and leader of Opposition Dr Govind Singh.
Malkhan Singh, also known as the King of Bandits, headed a gang of 40 in the 1970s. In 1982, he surrendered to then Congress Chief Minister Arjun Singh, and he has dabbled in politics since then.
On Wednesday, Malkhan arrived at the state PCC office with his forehead smeared with red vermillion and stated, "I am joining Congress today after quitting BJP. I had campaigned for BJP, believing it was a party of morals and would work for the ideals. But I had not seen as much corruption in 50 years of Congress rule as I have seen in BJP's rule in the last 20 years."
"I am not a political leader, and I will not back down when I see atrocities. Whenever there is injustice and oppression, I will protest," Malkhan Singh was quoted as saying by Times of India (ToI).
On being called 'daku' all his life, Singh said that he was simply a 'baaghi (rebel)'.
"I became a baaghi to fight injustice. I cannot tolerate injustice. In the last five years, BJP leaders have captured land belonging to the poor and committed atrocities against women. When two- and three-year-old girls are getting raped and farmers are distressed throughout the country, the common man is being squashed under inflation, what am I supposed to do?" he questioned.
He further said that BJP will be routed in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections and that the grand old party would form the government.
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"People are so restless and pained with spiralling inflation and blatant corruption," he said, adding that he is not joining the Congress to ask for an election ticket.
"Becoming an MLA does not guarantee that all problems will be resolved. One can serve people without being an MLA. I am here to campaign for Congress, not to ask for a gas agency or an election ticket," he said.
Meanwhile, former district education officer of Sagar and Chhatarpur, Santosh Sharma, also joined the Congress.
Sharma, who hails from Niwari district, joined the party with 1,200 supporters, including 20 sarpanchs, 300 BJP workers and 150 Samajwadi Party workers.
Welcoming the new members to the party, PCC chief Kamal Nath said, "In 18 years, BJP has created so much panic, fear and terror among citizens that the people of the state have made up their minds to uproot BJP and Shivraj Singh Chouhan."
"Madhya Pradesh ranks first in terms of corruption, unemployment, and atrocities against women, Dalits and tribals. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has demolished law and order in the state. Assembly elections are in three months, and this time it will be a historic contest," Kamal Nath said.