Cong leader Shweta Brahmbhatt who met PM during latter's Gujarat visit quits party

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Congress leader Shweta Brahmbhatt, who had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month at Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar during the latter's visit here, on Monday resigned from the opposition party citing groupism and lack of vision.

In her resignation letter, which was posted on her Facebook page and addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi, 38-year-old Brahmbhatt said despite sending numerous emails to Rahul Gandhi on how to bring change and strengthen the party, the situation remained unchanged on the ground in Gujarat.

"Instead of bringing change, people who had harmed the party openly in the elections were promoted. There were people who used to indulge in petty politics whenever the party had assigned me some work. They are doing it because the local leadership has given a free pass to such people in the party," Brahmbhatt alleged.

She also claimed some local Congress leaders, including women, had used derogatory language for her after she met the PM last month.

"If the party is not ready to listen to the views of young leaders like us, then what is the use of remaining in the party? There is complete lack of vision and zeal to win elections. Groupism is also rampant in the party," she told reporters.

During Modi's Gujarat visit last month, Brahmbhatt and her father Narendra Brahmbhatt, a Congressman, had met the PM at Raj Bhavan. She had, however, told reporters at the time the visit was a "courtesy call" and had denied she intended to join the ruling BJP.

Bhrambhatt, who was an investment banker and also did a course from IIM Bangalore, had hit the headlines after she was given a Congress ticket from Maninagar in the 2017 Assembly polls.

PM Modi had represented Maninagar Assembly seat for three terms when he was Gujarat chief minister.

Brahmbhatt eventually lost to BJP's Suresh Patel in the 2017 polls.