Bhopal, Sep 8 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party received a jolt in the Gwalior-Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday with senior party leader Satish Singh Sikarwar, who contested the last assembly polls from the region, joining the Congress along with hundreds of supporters.

Sikarwar on Tuesday reached Bhopal with hundreds of supporters from Gwalior to join the Congress in the presence of former Chief Minister and Congress state President Kamal Nath. Many senior leaders, including the Congress organization in-charge Chandra Prabhash Shekhar and former minister Ramnivas Rawat were also present.

Sikarwar contested the last election as a BJP candidate from Gwalior east and was defeated by Congress candidate Munnalal Goyal.

Goyal left the Congress with former Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and joined the BJP and resigned from the membership of the state Legislative Assembly. The BJP is likely to pick Goyal as a candidate in the upcoming by-elections. With Sikarwar joining the Congress, speculation is rife that the Congress can make Sikarwar a candidate from Gwalior east.