Gujarat Congress Working President Ambarish Der, MLA Arjun Modhwadia Quit Party, Likely To Join BJP

The Gujarat Congress is facing a flurry of resignations as its working president Ambarish Der and MLA Arjun Modhwadia quit the party after senior leader Naran Rathwa and his son Sangram Rathwa joined the BJP.

In a significant blow to the opposition Congress party ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Gujarat Congress unit working president Ambarish Der tendered his resignation from the party on Monday and announced his intention to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. According to news agency PTI, Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil revealed to reporters that Der had been suspended from all party posts and as a primary member of the Congress for six years due to alleged anti-party activities.

Gohil's statement followed after local TV channels showed Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil visiting Der's residence in Ahmedabad.

Responding swiftly to the Congress' disciplinary action, Der held a press conference at his residence, expressing ignorance about his suspension and affirming his decision to join the BJP at its state headquarters in Gandhinagar the following day.

Der cited the Congress leaders' failure to visit the newly constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya as the primary reason for his departure from the party. He asserted that his decision to rejoin the BJP, with which he had previously been associated, was motivated by his belief in the party's ideology.

"I am not aware when I was suspended by the Congress. But, I have tendered my resignation from all posts and it has already reached our high-command through fax and email," Der informed reporters, as quoted by PTI.

Explaining the circumstances of Paatil's visit to his residence, Der clarified, "Paatil came to my residence to meet me and enquire about the well-being of my sick mother. After meeting him, I took the decision to quit the Congress."

Der emphasised the importance of political parties respecting religious sentiments, particularly in light of the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He criticised the Congress leadership's decision not to visit the temple and stressed the need for political parties to acknowledge and respect the beliefs of all sections of society.

Der, who represented the Rajula seat in Amreli district from 2017 to 2022 as a Congress MLA, expressed his willingness to join the BJP without any expectations, denying any promises from the ruling party. Speculation is rife that he may contest the Rajula seat bypoll, although he claimed to be unaware of such plans, as per PTI.

Ahead of the 2022 Gujarat assembly polls, Der was appointed as the Congress working president and continued in the position despite losing to his rival Hira Solanki.

According to PTI's report, there are rumours that Solanki might be asked to resign as the Rajula MLA and contest from the Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seat, with Der possibly being fielded as the BJP candidate for the Rajula seat bypoll. However, Der stated that he had no knowledge of such possibilities.

Porbandar Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia Also Resigns

Porbandar Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia tendered his resignation from the Congress party on Monday, citing reasons related to the party's stance on certain issues and his inability to contribute effectively to his constituency. In his resignation letter addressed to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Modhwadia expressed his dismay over the party's decision to decline an invitation to the Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya, news agency ANI reported.

According to reports, he is also likely to join the BJP.

He wrote, "Prabhu Ram is not just revered by Hindus, but he is the symbol of faith for India. By declining the invitation to witness the pran pratishtha mahotsav, the Congress party failed to assess the sentiments of the people."

Modhwadia further mentioned his encounters with people who were offended by the party's decision and expressed his disappointment over Rahul Gandhi's actions in Assam, which he believed further aggravated the situation.

He stated, "Since my dissent, I have found myself helpless to contribute to the people of my district Porbandar and the State of Gujarat. Hence it is with a heavy heart that I am resigning from all positions of the Congress party."

Mentioning his association with the Congress for four decades, he expressed gratitude towards the party leadership and its members for their support over the years.

Gujarat Congress Senior Leader And Son Joined BJP In February

Earlier in February, senior Gujarat Congress leader Naran Rathwa and his son Sangram Rathwa joined the BJP along with a group of supporters. Naran Rathwa, a prominent tribal leader, has been a crucial figure for the Congress in the region, as per news agency IANS's report.

Having served as a Member of Parliament for five terms from the tribal-dominated constituency of Chhota Udepur, Naran Rathwa's influence and popularity have been significant. His son, Sangram Rathwa, also resigned from the primary membership of the Congress and followed his father's lead to join the BJP.

The resignations come ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's planned visit to Gujarat's tribal belt with his 'Nyay Yatra'.