Gandhinagar: In yet another somewhat surprising jolt to Congress, Party MLA from Manavadar seat in Junagadh district of Gujarat, Jawahar Chavda today resigned from the party and Gujarat Assembly.

Amid speculations of such resignations doing the round, Chavda, who was deemed as a core-Congress man, reached the residence of speaker Rajendra Trivedi and handed over his resignation from the assembly.

Trivedi later told newsmen that Chavda has not given any reason for the resignation in the letter handed over to me. ‘It has been accepted and handed over to the assembly secretary D M Patel for further action,’ he said.

It is third resignation of Congress MLAs after last assembly election. Earlier senior Koli leader Kunvarji Bavaliya and Patel leader Ashaben Patel had resigned from the party. Another party MLA Bhagwan Barad has recently been sacked from the house after his conviction in a mineral theft case.

54-year old Chavda is considered a popular MLA who is reelected by voters repeatedly. He is son of late veteran leader Pethaljibhai Chavda. Chavda enjoys good network and backing among farmers. Chavda may contest on Manavdar assembly seat as BJP candidate. By-poll for Manavdar seat is likely to be held along with Lok Sabha general elections next month.

Now the number of Congress MLAs in the 182 member house has come down to 73. BJP has 100 MLAs.

It is being said that Chavda is likely to join BJP soon.

Jawahar Chavda is very good catch for BJP. Even Congress men would agree to it but with sadness. Son of towering local as well as Ahir community leader late Pethalji Chavda(in pic with Narendrabhai) Jawahar Chavda enjoys excellent connect with his constituency men,majorly farmers pic.twitter.com/P21WgRQytf

— Japan K Pathak (@JapanPathak) March 8, 2019

DeshGujarat