A major political turnaround has shaken up the political landscape of the Kekri assembly and municipal region in Ajmer district, Rajasthan, ahead of the upcoming local body elections 2026. Kamlesh Sahu, a former Congress municipal chairman who switched over to the Bharatiya Janata Party just two days ago, released a video statement publicly announcing his decision to quit the BJP and remain within the Congress fold.
This sudden development by Kamlesh Sahu has created quite a stir in local political circles. He has claimed that he was subjected to immense administrative and political pressure alongside threats, which forced him to join the BJP against his will. The unexpected announcement has intensified the ongoing political friction between the major parties in the region as election preparations pick up pace.
Public Apology and Clarification via Video
Through his video message shared on social media, Kamlesh Sahu elaborated on the circumstances surrounding his brief switch. He explicitly stated that he has consistently been a member of the Congress party and will continue to remain part of the Congress family. Sahu claimed that he was pressured and threatened heavily on August 26 to take up the BJP membership. Addressing the sequence of events where he shared the BJP stage, he offered an open apology to the senior leaders, office bearers, and local party workers of the Congress. While this statement brought a renewed sense of enthusiasm among Congress supporters, the BJP has not yet issued any formal reaction regarding the allegations of pressure and coercion.
Rapidly Shifting Political Equations in Kekri
With ticket distribution for the municipal polls drawing closer, party-switching activities have reached a peak across Kekri
- Anil Mittal joins Congress: On August 25, senior BJP leader and former municipal chairman Anil Mittal left the party to join Congress, which was widely seen as a major setback for the ruling faction.
- BJP countermove: Following that exit, BJP MLA Shatrughan Gautam retaliated by inducting former Congress municipal chairman Kamlesh Sahu and former Sarwar municipal chairman Shankar Singh Rathore into the BJP fold.
- Quick reversal: Just forty-eight hours after this strategic political countermove, Sahu's video declaration completely upended the equations once again.
High-Stakes Maneuvering Before Local Polls
The combination of Anil Mittal crossing over to the Congress and Kamlesh Sahu returning to his original party within a span of two days has heated up the local political arena in Kekri. Political observers note that this intense maneuvering right ahead of ticket allotments will significantly impact local vote bank calculations and candidate selections for both parties. Attention is now firmly fixed on how the BJP will respond to the serious allegations leveled by Sahu regarding coercion.
