Congress says ex-MLA pressured to join BJP, refused after Rahul Gandhi’s intervention

The Maharashtra Congress has alleged that its former MLA, Rahul Bondre, was pressured to join the ruling BJP and was being targeted with police notices concerning his educational institution, after deciding against switching sides.Congress MP Rahul Gandhi personally called Mr. Bondre, assured him of support and advised him to fight without fear, following which he decided against joining the BJP, the Opposition party said in a post on X on Sunday (October 19, 2026).The Congress said it stood firmly behind Mr. Bondre, the former MLA from Chikhli in Buldhana district of the Vidarbha region, and would continue its fight against what it described as injustice, repression and politics of pressure. It also posted a copy of a recent police notice to Mr. Bondre about his educational institution in Chikhli.The BJP had been issuing notices to Mr. Bondre because he had chosen to continue his political fight, the Congress alleged. “Rahul Bondre will neither be intimidated nor bow down to pressure, and will not stop his struggle,” it said.Mr. Bondre had earlier dropped his plan to join the BJP on September 22, 2026, following a telephonic conversation with Mr. Gandhi, saying he would continue to work for the Congress and fight alongside the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, despite the difficulties he had faced. Congress leaders Vijay Wadettiwar and Yashomati Thakur had then alleged that Mr. Bondre was being pressured and that cases had been filed against him. Published - October 19, 2026 10:47 am IST