Post Vaghela's exit, 3 Gujarat Congress MLAs quit Congress, join BJP

Ahmedabad: In yet another jolt to the Congress in Gujarat, three MLAs considered close to Shankarsinh Vaghela quit the grand old party and joined the BJP. The rebellion leaders submitted their resignation letters to Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora at Gandhinagar. The development came on the day when BJP chief Amit Shah was in Gandhinagar to attend a meeting of party MLAs called to chalk out the strategy for the Rajya Sabha polls.

The resignation of Balwantsinh Rajput, the party's chief whip in the Assembly, Tejashreeben Patel and Prahlad Patel reduced the Congress's tally to 54 in the 182-seat assembly.

Rajput, Tejashreeben Patel and Prahlad Patel resigned from the House and also all party posts. They later drove to the BJP office in Gandhinagar and joined the saffron party in the presence of its president Amit Shah.

Shah and Union minister Smriti Irani are the other two BJP candidates for the August 8 RS elections.

Within hours of Rajput's induction, the BJP, seeking to queer the pitch for Ahmed Patel, fielded Rajput as its third candidate from Gujarat, hoping to cut into the votes of the Congress nominee. Rajput's son is the husband of Vaghela's granddaughter.

Of the total 11 Rajya Sabha members from the state, the term of three -- Irani and Dilipbhai Pandya (both BJP) and Ahmed Patel -- is ending on August 18.

The Congress has re-nominated Ahmed Patel, political secretary to party president Sonia Gandhi. The 67-year-old Congressman filed his nomination papers yesterday.

Rajput represented Siddhapur seat in Patan district, while Tejashreeben Patel was elected from Viramgam in Ahmedabad district. Prahlad Patel was elected from Vijapur in Mehasana district.

"Balwantsinh Rajput, Tejashreeben Patel and Prahlad Patel have given their resignation as sitting MLAs of their respective seats. They now cease to be the members the Legislative Assembly," Vora told PTI.

The trio cannot vote in the Rajya Sabha polls now, he said.

"I welcome all three MLAs into the BJP fold. I called Rajput and invited him to join the party upon learning that he, along with two other MLAs, has resigned. I welcome all of them into the BJP," Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani told reporters.

(With inputs from agencies)