Gujarat: Congress leader quits as MLA, joins BJP

Gandhinagar: Congress legislator from Talala in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district Bhagabhai Barad on Wednesday resigned as MLA as well as from the party’s primary membership, and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Barad, who belongs to the Aahir community, is a three-time MLA from Talala constituency.

The seat is considered a Congress stronghold. In the last 10 assembly elections, BJP could register victory here only twice — in 1995 and 2002.

After joining BJP, Barad told mediapersons: “… we are not ‘real Congress’, other than this, I would not like to make any comments on the Congress party. I am influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development model… so joined the party and will work for the party as its soldier.”