Vijay Pandey, cousin of BJP Rajnandgaon Member of Parliament Santosh Pandey, left BJP and joined Congress. He joined the Congress party after reaching the official residence of State Cabinet Minister and MLA from Kawardha Mohammad Akbar.

It is being informed that Vijay Pandey, who was in the BJP for last three decades, has taken this step after notice was served to him by Kabirdham district BJP. Vijay Pandey was President of Kabirdham District BJP Business Cell. Apart from this, he is also the state president of Hindustan Petroleum Dealers Association. On September 13, he had invited Minister Mohammad Akbar to the premises of his petrol pump at Bodla for discussion for allotment of land for the office of the Association. When Mohammad Akbar arrived, Vijay Pandey, welcomed him in the office of the petrol pump. This matter went to the Kabirdham district BJP and on September 17, a notice was served to Vijay Pandey, instructing him to give a clarification before the District BJP President within three days. He was asked why he should not be suspended from the party. The notice of the party was issued with the signature of the District General Secretary, but the name of the General Secretary was not mentioned. It was said in the notice that welcoming a Congress minister remaining in the post of BJP's district cell comes under the category of indiscipline. The issue of notice to Vijay Pandey laid the ground for his quitting BJP and entering Congress. Considering this as an insult, he decided to end his association with the BJP that started in 1994. He conveyed his desire to enter the Congress to the Cabinet Minister Mohammad Akbar. On the occasion of his joining Congress, Kanhaiya Agarwal, member of Chhattisgarh State Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA) and active Congress office-bearer of Kabirdham district, Gorelal Chandravanshi were also present. After taking membership of the Congress party in the presence of Cabinet Minister Mohammad Akbar, Vijay told reporters that he was impressed by the development work being done under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh and the work being done for the benefit of all sections of the society. He likes Congress's policy of taking all sections of the society along. In view of this, he is entering the Congress party. Praising Kawardha MLA and Cabinet Minister Mohammad Akbar, Vijay Pandey said that development works are being done continuously in Kawardha and Kabirdham districts. Responding to the questions of the reporters, Minister Mohammad Akbar said that Vijay Pandey will be given full respect in the Congress party. There is no discrimination between old and new workers in Congress. In a reply, he said that all those coming to Congress are welcomed.