‘It is not BJP’s responsibility to stop exodus from Congress’

It is Congress’ responsibility to stop its legislators and workers from leaving, senior Gujarat BJP leader Pradipsinh Vaghela said on Saturday. He was reacting to the claim by a Rajasthan MLA that the BJP was trying to lure 10 Congress MLAs in Gujarat ahead of Assembly polls, due in December.

”I believe it is the responsibility of a political party and its leadership to hold on to its workers, provide them timely guidance and make good use of their strength. It is Congress’ misfortune that it has failed to hold on to its workers, MLAs,” said Vaghela.

The opposition party’s MLAs had crossed over to the BJP in Gujarat earlier too, he said, adding that ”it is Congress’ responsibility and not ours” to stop this process.

But he also quipped that ”there is no vacancy” for Congress MLAs in the BJP at present.

”Congress should try to stop leaders who are established names in society and work for the public from leaving,” Vaghela added.

Sanyam Lodha, independent MLA from Sirohi and adviser to Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, has alleged that the BJP was trying to lure ”10 Congress MLAs ahead of the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections.” ”I have warned the Congress. I have inputs about it and that is why I have informed the party. I informed Raghu Sharma 20 days ago… There was no movement from his side so I have tagged the party high command to alert it,” Lodha told PTI.

Before the Rajya Sabha elections in 2020, eight Congress MLAs in Gujarat resigned and later joined the BJP.

Recently, five former Congress MLAs joined the BJP. The Congress, which won 77 seats in the 2017 Assembly election in Gujarat, now has 65 MLAs.