Former Congress MLA Mahendrasinh Vaghela, who is also the son of the party’s former leader Shankersinh Vaghela, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, IANS reported. Mahendrasinh Vaghela joined the saffron party in the presence of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, BJP Gujarat chief Jitu Vaghani and others in Gandhinagar.
“I am ready for any kind of responsibility,” Mahendrasinh Vaghela said, according to The Indian Express. “As for the question of my father joining BJP or not only he will know.”
In 2017, Mahendrasinh Vaghela left the Congress as part of a protest led by his father. On July 21, 2017, Shankarsinh Vaghela had quit all party posts within the Congress and also stepped down as the leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly. In August 2017, Shankarsinh Vaghela even resigned from his position as a Member of Gujarat’s Legislative Assembly.
The senior party leader had quit the Congress after reports emerged that he had demanded to be its chief ministerial face for the Gujarat Assembly elections. However, he was told that it would be unfair to select him over other Gujarat party leaders such as Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.
Shankersinh Vaghela had defied the Congress’ whip in the Rajya Sabha election held in Gujarat in August and had voted for the BJP.
Later, Shankersinh Vaghela’s Jan Vikalp Morcha tied up with the All India Hindustan Congress Party to contest the Gujarat Assembly elections.
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