Lucknow: The Congress has suffered a severe setback in Bundelkhand ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Here, congress leaders from Mahoba, Jalaun and Hamirpur have held the SP's hand. Among the leaders who have left the Congress are Gayadin Anuragi, a former MLA from Rath in Hamirpur, Manoj Tiwari, a senior Congress leader from Mahoba, and Vinod Chaturvedi, a former MLA Orai

Priyanka Gandhi, on the one hand, is preparing to revive the Congress ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections by surviving in Lucknow. On the other hand, old and veteran Congress leaders are seen leaving the party and turning to the SP. This is being considered a big blow to Congress. Gayadin Anuragi from Hamirpur district had been in BSP since its beginning and then contested from The Rath (Safe) Assembly in Hamirpur district from Congress in the 2012 assembly elections, winning by 1 lakh votes. However, he suffered in the 2017 assembly elections. Manoj Tiwari's father Babulal Tiwari became a five-time MLA from The Congress from Mahoba seat. Babulal Tiwari had a big name in the region and was very tall in Congress as well.

His son Manoj Tiwari was also was working with Congress. But suddenly on Friday, he shocked everyone by joining Samajwadi Party. Veteran Bundelkhand Congress leader Vinod Chaturvedi has left the Congress and moved to the SP. Chaturvedi has been the district president of Jalaun from the Congress 3 times. He was also the state vice president of the party. He was recently appointed a member of Priyanka Gandhi's advisory committee. Vinod Chaturvedi had won the Orai assembly seat for the first time in 2007 and reached the assembly. However, in 2012 and 2017, he suffered a setback from Madhogarh seat.

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