Vadodara: Almost entire city Congress joined BJP in presence of CR Patil – this is the heading in a mainstream Gujarati daily Sandesh from Vadodara today. Patil was in Vadodara to induct two former city Congress chiefs Prashant Patel and Suresh Patel to saffron fold. Several former Councillors and supporters of all these Congress leaders also joined BJP in a public function. This was in a way a blow for State party incharge Mukul Wasnik who had visited the city a few days ago and held deliberations to strengthen the party. It was Wasnik’s first visit to anywhere outside Ahmedabad in Gujarat after becoming the State party incharge.

Suresh Patel, a former city Congress chief said his family was associated with Congress for three generations. In recent past he gave his party plot to Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS) a non-political organization for an event. The Congress party suspended him without even serving a notice. Suresh Patel went on to say that he decided to detach from the Congress party there and then. Patel said he was joining BJP with around 1200 supporters without any expectation of office or position.

Another former city Congress chief Prashant Patel who also contested Lok Sabha election for party on Vadodara seat in 2019 said the people have feeling of Hindu rashtra since 2014 which Narendra Modi has understood but Congress does nothing when anti-Hindus remarks are made. Recently Congress’s ally gave a statement against Sanatan dharma but Congress didn’t condemn it. Such is the mentality of the Congress party that has pushed him to BJP’s fold.

Jayesh Thakkar who had contested Vidhansabha election on Congress ticket in 2012 also joined BJP in this function. Former government officer Pankaj Aundhiya also joined BJP. He had retired as Additional Commissioner in the Education department in August this year. Former Congress councilor Anil Parmar, Bhavesh Patel, Minalben Gohil, Shailendra Thakor, Agrawal community leader Sunil Agarawal, Kshatriya community leader Harisinh Parmar Rajput among others joined BJP in this function. DeshGujarat