Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Days after nomination of the Samajwadi Party’s candidate from Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency was rejected, the Congress on Monday extended its support to the All India Forward Bloc nominee and said he will be the joint candidate of the INDIA bloc on the seat.

In a jolt to the opposition’s INDIA bloc in Madhya Pradesh, nomination of the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) candidate from Khajuraho Lok Sabha constituency, Meera Yadav, was rejected by the returning officer on April 5.

The Congress, the main opposition party in the BJP-ruled state, had left the Khajuraho seat for the SP as per the seat-sharing arrangement within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Polling will be held for the seat in the second phase, on April 26.

In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The Indian National Congress had left the Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat to its INDIA group ally Samajwadi Party. Unfortunately, in a blatant display of power and going against all norms of democracy, the BJP managed to get the nomination of the SP candidate rejected.” The Congress has now decided to extend its support to R B Prajapati, the candidate of the All India Forward Bloc, another member of the INDIA group, he said.

“He will be the joint candidate of the INDIA group for Khajuraho Lok Sabha in Madhya Pradesh,” Ramesh said.

The rejection of the nomination had left the SP fuming with its chief Akhilesh Yadav terming it a “blatant murder” of democracy and demanding judicial probe.