Rajasthan Minister Mahendrajit Singh Malviya, from the tribal-dominated Banswara seat and a Cabinet Minister in the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government, had earlier cited his inability to function under the BJP Government as the reason for his proposed switch. Photo: Instagram/@mahendramalviyaofficial
Two years after leaving for the BJP, former Rajasthan Minister Mahendrajit Singh Malviya returned to the Congress after the party’s top leadership approved his re-induction.
The proposal was cleared by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, after which an official letter confirming Mr. Malviya’s return to the party was issued late on Friday (January 16, 2026). His formal joining is expected to take place at the State Congress office soon.
The decision followed a multi-level review process. Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Govind Singh Dotasra sent a detailed report to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in New Delhi.
Raids were carried out by the Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau days after Mr. Malviya, a former Cabinet Minister, signalled his intention to return to the Congress. He had quit the Congress and joined the BJP around two years ago ahead of the previous elections.
Earlier, a meeting of the Rajasthan Congress disciplinary committee, chaired by former Minister Udaylal Anjana, had recommended Mr. Malviya’s return to the party.
However, the matter was referred to the AICC as Mr. Malviya had earlier been a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), making a State-level decision procedurally inadequate, party leaders said.
Mr. Dotasra later said that since Mr. Malviya had served as a CWC member, the final decision was taken at the AICC level, and formal orders approving his return had now been issued.
Mr. Dotasra described the action as “a disgrace to democracy” and alleged that agencies were being misused for political vendetta.
Mr. Malviya, a former MP from the tribal-dominated Banswara seat and a Cabinet Minister in the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government, had earlier cited his inability to function under the BJP Government as the reason for his proposed switch.
He had alleged that welfare schemes such as MGNREGA were suffering delays and that farmers were facing fertiliser shortages, despite repeated representations to the government.
Published – January 17, 2026 03:12 pm IST
