Setback for Congress, 10-time Gujarat MLA Mohansinh Rathva joins BJP

Ahmedabad, November 8

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In a jolt to the Opposition Congress ahead of the Assembly polls in Gujarat, senior MLA Mohansinh Rathva on Tuesday resigned as a party member and legislator and joined the BJP.

Rathva, 78, sent his resignation letter to state Congress chief Jagdish Thakor.

A prominent tribal leader, Rathva is a 10-time Member of the Legislative Assembly and currently represents the Chhota Udaipur (ST) constituency in central Gujarat. Before 2012, he had represented Pavi-Jetpur (ST) constituency in the Chhota Udepur district.

Recently, Rathva had announced that he would not seek a ticket for the next month’s Assembly elections but wanted the party to field his son Rajendrasinh Rathva from his seat instead.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Naran Rathva has also reportedly sought a ticket for his son from the same seat.

Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will be held on December 8.

After sending his resignation letter, Rathva reached the Gujarat BJP office in Ahmedabad where he was inducted into the party by state general secretaries Bhargav Bhatt and Pradeepsinh Vaghela.