New Delhi: Congress MLA from Radhanpur and leader of Thakor Sena Alpesh Thakor on Saturday refuted to the claims of him quitting the party and joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that he will continue with his fight for people and stay in Congress. “I am going to continue to fight for my people. I will stay in Congress and continue to support the Congress,” news agency ANI quoted the OBC legislator as saying. The Congress MLA earlier this week called a meeting of his Thakor Sena in order to take a final decision on his next course of action amid speculation that he may join the saffron outfit.


“All the rumours that are being spread about me are aimed at damaging my image. I will hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon and clear my stand,” Thakor had said after reports emerged he will be soon joining the BJP.

Thakor joined the Congress during the run-up to the 2017 assembly elections and is among the young trinity of Hardik Patel and Jignesh Mevani. It is also being speculated that while he would be made a minister, his wife might be given a Lok Sabha ticket, reported news agency PTI.

Even Congress spokesperson Ashok Punjabi on Friday claimed that Thakor is not leaving the party. “Alpesh is not going anywhere and is going to stay in Congress. He has had a wonderful meeting with Rahul ji and our central leadership today. He will clarify everything in his press brief on Saturday. You will see,” he said.

Reportedly, Thakor had issues with the Gujarat Congress leadership that he was being sidelined or ignored in the party and had conveyed that he would decide the future course of action after meeting the AICC chief.

Meanwhile, Congress party suffered a massive setback after its four-time MLA Jawahar Chavda from Manavadar parted ways with the party on Friday to join BJP. Another legislator Parshottam Saparia from Dhrangadhara put down his papers and is likely to join forces with the saffron party.