New Delhi, February 27 Several politicians have successfully returned to positions of power after switching parties, highlighting the fluid nature of political alliances.
One notable example is Pema Khandu of Arunachal Pradesh, who regained his position after initially switching sides. Another is Bansi Lal, the former Haryana chief minister who held the post for the third time after founding the Haryana Vikas Party in 1996.
Other politicians who have switched parties and secured prominent positions include O Panneerselvam of Tamil Nadu, who joined the list of around 25 such leaders.
Goa has seen several former chief ministers switch parties after losing the top post, including Digambar Kamat, who held the position from 2007 to 2012 and later switched to the BJP in 2022. Luizinho Faleiro, who was chief minister from 1998 to 1999, also switched to the Trinamool Congress in 2021. Ravi Naik, who served twice as chief minister (1991-1994 and 2014-2015), also switched to the BJP in 2021. Churchill Alemao, the second chief minister of Goa (March-April 1990), also switched to the TMC in 2014.
Other examples include S M Krishna, who quit the Congress to join the BJP in 2017, and N D Tiwari, who served as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and later Uttarakhand between 2002 and 2007.
Sharad Pawar, a three-time former chief minister of Maharashtra, also quit the Congress to form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 1999.
Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Union minister, was once a confidant of Nitish Kumar.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, a long-time Congress leader, also served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008.
Amarinder Singh, a two-time former chief minister of Punjab, switched to the BJP in 2022.
Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal, both former chief ministers, also switched to other parties.
Jagdambika Pal, who was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for a few hours in 1998, also switched to the BJP.
In Goa, Digambar Kamat switched to the BJP in 2022.
Narayan Rane and Ashok Chavan, both former Maharashtra chief ministers, switched to the BJP from the Shiv Sena and the Congress, respectively.
Vijay Bahuguna, who served as chief minister of Uttarakhand after N D Tiwari, also switched to the BJP.
Champai Soren, who occupied the top post from February to July 2024, quit the JMM and joined the BJP in 2024.
Babulal Marandi, who was the chief minister from 2000 to 2003, quit the BJP in 2006 to form his Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.
Mukul Sangma, who served twice as chief minister of Meghalaya, switched to the TMC.
Giridhar Gamang, who was the chief minister of Odisha, also switched to the BJP.
Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was the chief minister of the united Andhra Pradesh, joined the BJP in 2023.
Ajit Jogi, who was Chhattisgarh's first chief minister, formed his Janta Chhattisgarh Congress (Jogi) in 2017.
