Upset over denying ticket, former Gujarat Cong MLA joins BJP

Ahmedabad, Nov 22: Upset with the party for denying ticket to contest in the upcoming Gujarat polls, Kamini Baa Rathore, former Congress MLA from Dehgam constituency, has joined the BJP on Tuesday.

Kamini Baa Rathore had resigned from Congress recently. She had then joined the race as an independent candidate before withdrawing her nomination which was seen as an indication that she would join the BJP.

"Voices of wise and experienced leaders are being suppressed in the Congress. The same happened with me. An attempt was made to suppress a woman's voice. I joined the BJP as it believes in giving every single worker a voice and working unitedly," ANI quoted Kamini Baa Rathore as saying after joining the BJP.

Gujarat will vote in two phase on December 1 and 5 and the results will be announced on December 8.

The BJP is aiming to set a new record in terms of the number of seats won and the entry of the AAP has made it a triangular fight this time in the state which was traditionally known for its bipolar elections.

In the fiercely fought elections five years ago, the BJP had won 99 seats and its main rival Congress bagged 77 seats.

Currently, the BJP's strength in the 182-member Assembly is 111 after several MLAs from the Congress defected to it and it is unlikely that the saffron party will repeat all the incumbent MLAs.