Sitting BJP Lok Sabha member from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Ajay Nishad, joined the Congress on Tuesday, alleging that he was denied a ticket without any reason.

Ajay is the son of veteran leader and four-term MP Captain Ajay Narain Nishad who had a strong influence among the extremely backward classes in the state.

The development comes a day after former MP and AAP leader from Punjab, Dharmvir Gandhi, joined the Congress.

Dharmvir Gandhi, a social activist, merged his outfit with the Congress. Gandhi said these were not ordinary times for the country and that he wanted to stand with Rahul Gandhi, whose “politics epitomises constitutional and human values”.

Nishad’s joining has the potential to trigger widespread changes in Bihar because there is serious concern about extremely backward caste (EBC) voters supporting Nitish Kumar and the BJP. The RJD’s strong re-emergence has pushed the EBC voters towards the BJP because they traditionally fear Yadav dominance in the society. Nishad’s entry into the INDIA bloc sends a positive signal to this worried section.

Nishad is expected to contest the Muzaffarpur seat.

The Congress announced three candidates from Bihar on Tuesday — Tariq Anwar from Katihar, Ajeet Sharma from Bhagalpur and sitting MP Mohammad Jawed from Kishanganj.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Congress sprang a surprise by fielding state chief Y.S. Sharmila Reddy from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat even as Assembly elections are being held simultaneously. Sharmila is the sister of chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The Congress also announced eight candidates from Odisha apart from Dr Munish Tamang from Darjeeling. The Odisha candidates are Sanjay Bhoi from Bargarh, Manoj Mishra from Bolangir, Draupadi Majhi from Kalahandi, Bhujabal Majhi from Nabarangpur, Amir Chand Nayak from Kandhamal, Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik from Berhampur and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka from Koraput.