AHMEDABAD: Hours after the announcement of elections in Gujarat, senior leaders belonging to three main parties of Gujarat resigned one after another, enlivening the election scenario.The resignations started with state AAP general secretary Indranil Rajguru on Friday. He returned to the Congress hours after AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal named Isudan Gadhvi as the party’s presumptive chief minister. Rajguru, a Rajkot-based businessman, had previously contested and won assembly elections.
On Saturday, Rajguru alleged that AAP was working as the BJP’s ‘B-team.’ “AAP candidates are decided by the BJP head office. Crores of rupees are being transferred by charter planes to meet election expenses. The money came from Punjab by a plane right in front of my eyes. Funds received by AAP should be investigated. Money is being ferried by chartered planes. The money came in big bags. Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann carry money in their charter planes,” alleged Rajguru.
In another significant loyalty switch, senior BJP leader and former health minister Jay Narayan Vyas resigned from the primary membership of the party on Friday.Vyas said he was tired of remaining in the role of a complainant in the BJP. He said he would be contesting the Assembly elections. “I will decide which party to choose after consulting my supporters,” Vyas said.
Vyas, who represented Patan district’s Sidhpur constituency in the Assembly, alleged that “certain people controlled” the BJP’s district unit.Things came to a head on October 29 when Vyas met Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress observer in charge of Gujarat, Ashok Gehlot in Ahmedabad.
Vyas was a minister in the then Modi government from 2007 to 2012. Earlier too he had expressed his displeasure with the BJP. In June last year, when he was recuperating after heart surgery, he posted on social media saying he got a call from the BJP headquarters to attend a meeting. “I am in a hospital with a bypass surgery… the entire world knows except the Kamalam (the party HQ) kid! The party has definitely changed!!” he wrote.
Congress too had its share of resignations. AICC secretary and senior leader Himanshu Vyas resigned from the party and joined BJP. “The Congress central leadership has failed to communicate with party workers and leaders,” he said.
AAP releases 11th List with 21 names
The Aam Admi Party on Saturday declared its 11th list of candidates, comprising 21 names, for elections to the 182-member Assembly in Gujarat. The elections are scheduled to be held on December 1 and 5. The party has so far declared the names of 139 candidates for the polls.