AHMEDABAD: A former Bharatiya Janata Party mayor of Jamnagar and a Congress candidate in the 2017 Assembly polls in Gujarat have joined the Aam Aadmi Party, the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit said on Monday.
Former Jamnagar mayor and senior BJP leader Kanaksinh Jadeja joined the AAP during the two-day visit of Delhi Chief Minister and party national convener Kejriwal to the state on Saturday and Sunday, it said in a statement.
Bharatsinh Vakhala, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly polls from Devgarh Baria, joined AAP on Monday in the presence of state unit chief Gopal Italia.
Vakhala was defeated by the BJP's Bachubhai Khabad in the 2017 polls.
Jadeja, who also served as BJP corporator between 1995 and 2005 and served as the president of Saree Business Association since 2010, joined AAP during Kejriwal's visit to Jamnagar on Saturday.
Jadeja said he joined AAP because he was influenced by Kejriwal's ideology.
"Vakhala and social worker Swejal Vyas joined AAP in the presence of Kejriwal during his Vadodara visit on Sunday. Kejriwal welcomed both the dignitaries into the AAP by offering them caps," Italia told reporters.
Vakhala said he had received 58,000 votes in the 2017 Assembly polls without any help from the Congress.
"There is corruption of Rs 16 crore in a check dam but the Congress did not help me in my fight. My fight in court continues even today. I was defeated due to the collusion of Congress and BJP. So I have joined AAP," he claimed.
Vyas, a social worker from Vadodara, claimed he had joined AAP without greed for any post.