Five former Congress MLAs join BJP in Gujarat

GANDHINAGAR: Five ex-MLAs of the Congress party, who quit in the run-up to the Rajya Sabha election for four seats in Gujarat, formally – and predictably – joined the Baratiya Janata Party on Saturday. The ex-MLAs who joined the BJP are Jitu Chaudhary (Kaprada), Brijesh Merja (Morbi), J V Kakadiya (Dhari), Akshay Patel (Karjan) and Pradyumansinh Jadeja (Abdasa).
Eight Congress MLAs tendered their resignation to the speaker ahead of the Rajya Sabha election, ensuring that all the three candidates of the BJP romped home while the Congress could send only one of its two nominees to the Upper House of Parliament.
The ex-MLAs, who joined the BJP, have sought tickets from the same seats which they have relinquished, to contest by-elections. BJP leaders, however, clarified that the central parliamentary board of the party will decide whom to field as candidates.
“The party has its mechanism to decide who will contest. It is only natural that those who quit midway through their term to seek the ticket again. But all have joined without any conditions. Our central parliamentary board will take this decision,” said Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani.
Slip of tongue leaves everyone amused
Former Dhari MLA J V Kakadiya, while speaking after joining the BJP, goofed up not once, but twice. Thanking the BJP leadership for his entry into the party, Kakadiya referred to deputy chief minister Nitin Patel as CM. “Mukhyamanti Shri Rupani Saheb, Mananiya Mukhyamanti Shri Nitin Kaka. Tamaro khub aabhar maanu chhu (CM Rupani, honorable CM Nitin Kaka, I thank you profusely). He scored another blooper, stating, “People at the helm of Congress party are inept and that is why he left the BJP and joined the Congress.” Kakadiya was quickly corrected by those on the dais, but his utterances left everyone amused and the BJP leaders embarrassed.
Akshay Patel, former Karjan MLA, also goofed up. Wanting to thank Union home minister Amit Shah, Patel ending up praising GPCC president Amit Chavda. “Today, the country’s leadership is in the hands of two able sons of Gujarat – PM Narendra Modi and Amit Chavda,” said Akshay Patel. It was only after state BJP president Jitu Vaghani corrected him that he realised the error.