Congress leader quits after 48 years, was ‘upset’ over poll ticket denial to wife​on January 4, 2025 at 6:20 pm

Uttarakhand Congress vice president Mathura Dutt Joshi resigned from the party on Saturday after 48 years of association. Hours later, Joshi joined the BJP. The development comes just days after Congress denied ticket to Joshi’s wife for the upcoming local body elections.

In a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Mathura Dutt Joshi stated that he had served the party for 48 years but was compelled to resign “out of frustration”. He also accused the Congress of ignoring the party workers.

Apart from Joshi, former Congress MLA and minister of state Bittu Karnatak and Congress leader Jagat Singh Khati also joined the BJP at the state party office in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt. Notably, Karnatak is a close associate of former chief minister Harish Rawat.

Pushkar Singh Dhami said that he had good relations with Jagat Singh Khati, although he was from a different party. He went on to say that senior leaders like Mathura Dutt Joshi quitting the Congress poses a serious question over the party.

“Mathura Dutt Joshi is also a very experienced leader… If these leaders have left the Congress party even after working so hard, then this raises serious question marks for the party… This will increase the chances of BJP winning the Uttarakhand urban local body elections,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.