Gujarat Congress Lawmaker Quits

Former Congress legislators Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala, who had quit apparently after voting against the party candidate in the by-polls for two Rajya Sabha seats earlier this month, joined the BJP in Gujarat this evening.

Two Congress lawmakers quit the Gujarat assembly today, apparently after voting against the party candidate in the ongoing by-polls for two Rajya Sabha seats. Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala had rebelled against the party, complaining of unfair treatment.

Maverick legislator Alpesh Thakor, who had quit the Congress in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections in April, has now turned around and claimed he had only resigned from all posts but not from the party, after a writ petition by the Opposition in the Gujarat High Court seeking his disqualification as an MLA, a post he chose not to quit.

Trouble seems to be brewing for the Congress in Gujarat as Jamnagar (Rural) lawmaker Vallabh Dharaviya today became the third MLA to quit the party in the last four days.

In a setback to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the general elections, two party legislators on Friday tendered their resignations, with one of them joining the ruling BJP later in the day and another announcing his decision to join the party soon.

Gujarat lawmaker Asha Patel, who had quit Congress days ago, joined the ruling BJP today. Ms Patel and her supporters were inducted to the BJP at the party's ''Cluster Sammelan'' in North Gujarat's Patan.

In a blow to the Congress in North Gujarat, Ashaben Patel, lawmaker from key constituency Unjhi, quit from all the posts on Saturday, claiming the state leadership was ignoring her.

Until weeks ago, Congress leader Ahmed Patel's re-election to Rajya Sabha was a done deal. But all that changed on July 22 when veteran Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela quit the party. Soon after, allegedly at Mr Vaghela's behest, six Congress legislators resigned; three of them joined the BJP.

The Congress on Sunday produced 42 of its Gujarat lawmakers -- who are penned at a resort in Bengaluru -- before the media and said they have taken refuge in the Congress-ruled Karnataka as they feared for their lives ahead of the coming Rajya Sabha elections.

Its Gujarat lawmakers safely sequestered in a luxurious Karnataka resort hundreds of kilometres away, senior Congress leaders headed to the Election Commission in Delhi on Saturday to complain that the Gujarat government was trying to arm-twist and lure its lawmakers to switch sides ahead of the 8 August elections for three Rajya Sabha seats from G...

As BJP chief Amit Shah filed his nomination this morning for next week's Rajya Sabha elections, the Gujarat Congress continues to bleed with three more legislators quitting the party. The tally is now six.

As BJP chief Amit Shah flew into Gujarat on Thursday, three Congress legislators in the state resigned and joined the party. One of them, Balwantsinh Rajput, is being fielded by the BJP for next month's Rajya Sabha elections, as it attempts to prevent Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, from getting re-elected to the ...

Former Congress legislators Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala, who had quit apparently after voting against the party candidate in the by-polls for two Rajya Sabha seats earlier this month, joined the BJP in Gujarat this evening.

Two Congress lawmakers quit the Gujarat assembly today, apparently after voting against the party candidate in the ongoing by-polls for two Rajya Sabha seats. Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala had rebelled against the party, complaining of unfair treatment.

Maverick legislator Alpesh Thakor, who had quit the Congress in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections in April, has now turned around and claimed he had only resigned from all posts but not from the party, after a writ petition by the Opposition in the Gujarat High Court seeking his disqualification as an MLA, a post he chose not to quit.

Trouble seems to be brewing for the Congress in Gujarat as Jamnagar (Rural) lawmaker Vallabh Dharaviya today became the third MLA to quit the party in the last four days.

In a setback to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the general elections, two party legislators on Friday tendered their resignations, with one of them joining the ruling BJP later in the day and another announcing his decision to join the party soon.

Gujarat lawmaker Asha Patel, who had quit Congress days ago, joined the ruling BJP today. Ms Patel and her supporters were inducted to the BJP at the party's ''Cluster Sammelan'' in North Gujarat's Patan.

In a blow to the Congress in North Gujarat, Ashaben Patel, lawmaker from key constituency Unjhi, quit from all the posts on Saturday, claiming the state leadership was ignoring her.

Until weeks ago, Congress leader Ahmed Patel's re-election to Rajya Sabha was a done deal. But all that changed on July 22 when veteran Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela quit the party. Soon after, allegedly at Mr Vaghela's behest, six Congress legislators resigned; three of them joined the BJP.

The Congress on Sunday produced 42 of its Gujarat lawmakers -- who are penned at a resort in Bengaluru -- before the media and said they have taken refuge in the Congress-ruled Karnataka as they feared for their lives ahead of the coming Rajya Sabha elections.

Its Gujarat lawmakers safely sequestered in a luxurious Karnataka resort hundreds of kilometres away, senior Congress leaders headed to the Election Commission in Delhi on Saturday to complain that the Gujarat government was trying to arm-twist and lure its lawmakers to switch sides ahead of the 8 August elections for three Rajya Sabha seats from G...

As BJP chief Amit Shah filed his nomination this morning for next week's Rajya Sabha elections, the Gujarat Congress continues to bleed with three more legislators quitting the party. The tally is now six.

As BJP chief Amit Shah flew into Gujarat on Thursday, three Congress legislators in the state resigned and joined the party. One of them, Balwantsinh Rajput, is being fielded by the BJP for next month's Rajya Sabha elections, as it attempts to prevent Ahmed Patel, political adviser to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, from getting re-elected to the ...