A prominent Congress leader and former Union Minister Naran Rathwa on Tuesday joined BJP in Gujarat ahead of the Parliamentary elections.
A key tribal leader in Central Gujarat region, Mr. Rathwa was elected to Lok Sabha five times and in 2018, he was nominated to Rajya Sabha. His term in Rajya Sabha is expiring in April 2024.
He was the Minister of State for Railways during UPA regime in 2004-2009.
On Tuesday, he joined the BJP along with his son Sangram and other supporters. Mr. Sangram had contested the 2022 Assembly polls from Congress and had lost.
Gujarat BJP chief C.R. Paatil inducted Mr. Rathwa and others into the party at the party’s State unit headquarters ‘Kamalam’.
Talking to presspersons later, Mr. Rathwa said he does not harbour any resentment towards the Congress, but decided to join the BJP so that the State’s tribal region does not lag behind in the development journey and progresses rapidly and without any hurdles.
“I am influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s way of functioning, which I noticed for six years as a Rajya Sabha member...We want to work together and without any opposition so that all such development works are completed at a rapid pace and the tribal region is not left behind in the journey of development,” he told presspersons during his interaction.
He also added that he would like to contest the Parliamentary election from ST reserved Chhota Udepur if the party allows him to.
However, C.R. Paatil told presspersons that no commitment was given to any Congress leader who has joined the BJP.
In the State, so far two sitting MLAs of Congress – Chirag Patel and C.J. Chavda – have joined the BJP after resigning as legislators.
Also, one MLA Bhupendra Bhayani from Aam Aadmi Party has also resigned as legislator and joined the ruling party.
