Several leaders of AAP and the ruling BJP in Gujarat joined the Congress, (Representational)
Several leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party and the ruling BJP in Gujarat joined the Congress on Thursday in the presence of the opposition party's general secretary in charge of the state Mukul Wasnik.
Some of the key leaders who joined the Congress at its 'Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan' headquarters in Ahmedabad were Ishwar Patel, former MLA of Dharampur seat of Valsad, and Arif Ansari, who is former chairman of Gujarat AAP's minority cell.
Ishwar Patel won from Dharampur seat in 2012 as a Congress MLA. He had joined BJP some time back.
Surat-based lawyer Arif Ansari said he had resigned from AAP nearly four months back after he was removed from the minority cell and made chairman of sports cell.
Other leaders who joined Congress included former BJP president of Kodinar taluka Pravinsinh Zala, former BJP president of Santrampur town Sunil Bhoi, organisation secretary of BJP's state women wing Miraben Panchal and former AAP president of Narmada district Dharmendrasinh Gohil, said a Congress release.
Several Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) functionaries also joined the Congress during the day, it added.
On the occasion, Mukul Wasnik said the BJP's "anti-people" policies were hurting citizens of the country, resulting in the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
Welcoming the new entrants, Mukul Wasnik said the Congress under Rahul Gandhi was on a mission to unite the country, adding that all must come together to save the nation.
Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil said his party always believed in taking everyone along.
The entry of these leaders and workers will further strengthen the party in Gujarat, said the Congress release.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)