Jaipur, Mar 21 (PTI) Senior BJP leader and former Kota North MLA Prahlad Gunjal on Thursday joined the Congress here in the presence of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra.
Apart from Gunjal, Naresh Meena, Fateh Khan and Sunil Parihar who contested the 2023 assembly elections as independent from Chhabra, Sheo and Siwana seats, respectively, also joined the Congress in a programme organised at the party’s state office here.
“Today I have left the Bharatiya Janata Party and joined the Congress. I was a BJP worker for 40 years and became MLA twice. The tendency to crush the voice of a common man has become a challenge for democracy,” Gunjal told reporters after joining the Congress.
He further said, “Today the country has come to a point where coercion and oppression have become the character of politics…hence people with self-respect need to unite to save their existence.” Rajasthan Congress president Dotasra said, “Today dictatorship is going on in the BJP. Power has come into the hands of some people, and leaders with mass base are being sidelined.
“Gunjal is a strong leader. When he felt that the BJP did not need leaders with a mass base, he thought it appropriate to join the Congress.” Gehlot said that Gunjal has joined the Congress after being influenced by the policies of the party. He also said that democracy is in danger in the country.
“Good people are feeling suffocated in the BJP. First the BJP levels allegations and as soon as that person joins it, all allegations get settled,” Gehlot alleged.
Gunjal, who was the MLA from Kota North twice but had lost the last assembly polls, is seen as a very vocal leader and with his arrival, the Congress is expected to benefit in Hadoti region. PTI AG KVK KVK
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