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Days before the Gujarat assembly elections, Congress MLA Bhagvanbhai D Barad on Wednesday tendered his resignation from all posts of the party.
Seeking acceptance of his resignation to Governor Acharya Devvrat, Barad said, "I, Bhagvanbhai Barad, MLA hereby give my resignation from 91 - Talala Constituency and from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress. Please accept it." Barad, later, tendered his resignation from all posts of INC to Nimaben Acharya, Speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. In another major jolt to the party on Tuesday, veteran congress leader and 11 times MLA Mohan Singh Rathwa, who is a prominent tribal leader, along with his sons Rajubhai Rathwa, Ranjit Bhai Rathwa, and other party members joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Ahmedabad. Rathwa however claimed that the development works of the ruling party BJP, motivated him to take the step. Meanwhile, on Saturday, in charge of the Indian Overseas Congress, Himanshu Vyas also joined the BJP hours after resigning from the Congress. All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary, Vyas had sent his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge stating that he was resigning from the primary membership of Congress. Notably, the Congress Party got a similar jolt in the poll-bound Himachal Pradesh as a total of 26 leaders of the Congress party quit and joined the ruling BJP on Monday when only four days were left to go for the election. The leaders jumped the boat in the presence of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur and BJP's Sudhan Singh, incharge of BJP state elections. BJP candidate from Shimla, Sanjay Sood was also present on the occasion. On November 3, the election commission of India announced the dates for the Gujarat polls. Polling in the state will take place on two dates in two phases on December 1 and December 5 respectively. In the first phase, polling will be held for 89 seats while the second phase will see voting for 93 seats. The term of the 182-member state Assembly ends on February 18, 2023. The state of Gujarat has seen a traditional face-off between the ruling BJP and its rival Congress party. However, in the upcoming elections a new entrant, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is being keenly watched in the poll fray. (ANI)
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