Dhaldas said he belonged to the lineage of Baba Guru Ghasidas, founder of the Satnam Panth.With an aim to contest the 2028 assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Dhaldas Saheb, the elder brother of a minister in the current BJP government in the state, Guru Khushwant Saheb, has joined the Opposition Congress.Both Dhaldas and Khushwant are leaders of the Satnami community.Dhaldas joined the Congress on Friday in the presence of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.In a welcome post for Dhaldas on social media, Baghel said, “A start has been made. Together, we will remove the BJP.”Soon after joining the Congress, Dhaldas told the media he intends to contest the 2028 Assembly elections if the party decides to field him.However, Dhaldas, while speaking to The Indian Express, made it clear that he will not fight an election against his brother. “I want to contest elections from Mungeli and will enter the fray from Arang only if Khushwant is not contesting from the seat.”Khuswant represents Arang constituency.‘Our ancestors were part of Congress’Dhaldas said he belonged to the lineage of Baba Guru Ghasidas, founder of the Satnam Panth.Story continues below this adWhen asked why he decided to enter politics, Dhaldas said, “Our family has been part of politics since the pre-Independence period. I chose Congress because it is an old party and our ancestors were a part of the party and many people’s heroes like Jawaharlal Nehru have been a part of it.”Khushwant, who was earlier with the Congress, had jumped ship when he was denied a ticket to contest the 2023 Assembly polls. He got a ticket from Arang seat in Raipur district from then opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and won the elections after which he was made a minister.The Satnami community represents the largest Scheduled Castes (SC) group in Chhattisgarh and constitutes over 10% of the state’s population. The 14-member Chhattisgarh cabinet has two ministers from the SC community, including Khushwant and Dayaldas Baghel.Another cousin of Dhaldas, former MLA Guru Rudra Kumar from the Congress, was made a minister in 2018 but lost the 2023 elections.Story continues below this adDhaldas said he has three brothers and a sister. His sister earlier served as chairperson of the Tilda-Nevra municipality, while his other brother, Guru Sourabh Saheb, is the chairperson of the Raipur Zilla Panchayat.Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More Tags:Chhattisgarh