Date:18/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111860451200.htm

National

Six dissidents quit BJP, Assembly

Special Correspondent

I may also leave party: Suresh Mehta

GANDHINAGAR: Six BJP dissidents of Gujarat on Saturday resigned their primary membership of the party and also quit the Assembly as a prelude to their joining the Congress.

They are Dhirubhai Gajera, Narendrasinh Jadeja, Gopal Dua, Bavkubhai Unghad, Balubhai Tanti and Becharbhai Bhadani. They called on the Speaker, Mangaldas Patel, and submitted their resignation as MLAs.

To join congress

Later Mr. Gajera told mediapersons on behalf of the dissident members that they would soon be joining the Congress and contest next month’s Assembly elections.

They called on the former Chief Minister, Suresh Mehta, to seek his blessings. In a cryptic remark, Mr. Mehta said he too might resign from the BJP. But Mr. Mehta is unlikely to join the Congress though he would campaign for all the candidates opposing Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The number of BJP members who quit the House has gone up to eight including Sidhhartha Parmar and Ramilaben Desai, who resigned earlier. Four Congress members, who have since joined the BJP, have also resigned from the Assembly.