Bhopal, Oct 3 (IANS): In a major setback to the Congress ahead of the forthcoming by-elections in Madhya Pradesh, former Congress MLA Sulochana Rawat, who was tipped as the party candidate in one seat, has joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

More such resignations are expected to follow-up from the BJP and the Congress in the coming days ahead of the by-elections to the Jobat, Raigaon, Prithvipur Assembly seatas as well as the Khandwa Lok Sabha constituency.

These elections will be significant for both the BJP and the Congress, and thus both the parties are leaving no opportunity in consolidating their presence.

The bypoll in Jobat sear of Alirajpur district was necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLA Kalavati Bhuria and both the BJP and the Congress have not yet finalized their party candidates. Rawat was likely to be finalised as the Congress candidate.

After switching over to the BJP, Rawat cited several schemes implemented for the welfare of tribal community under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

"The land leases are being given to the tribal community and foodgrains are being delivered directly to their homes. Constant efforts are being made to bring the water of Narmada river to Alirajpur," she said, adding that she joined the BJP as she was influenced by all these development works.

Asked about her defection, Congress state spokesperson Syed Jaffar said that Rawat was not liked by the voters as the party candidate according to a Congress survey. Claiming she has a history of backstabbing and rebellion, he said that the BJP which claims to be a cadre-based party in the country could not find any leader of their own who could be fielded in the assembly constituency.

Referring to the defeat of former Congress leader Rahul Lodhi, who quit the party before the Damoh Assembly bypolls, Jaffar said Rawat would meet the same political fate.