In Two Days Two Former BJP MLAs Join Gujarat Congress

Lalji Mer and Sundersinh Chauhan are former BJP MLAs who joined Gujarat Congress citing anti-farmer policies of BJP.

Former BJP MLA Lalji Mer joins Gujarat Congress.

(Photo courtesy: Gujarat Congress)

Former Gujarat BJP MLA Lalji Mer joined the Opposition Congress on Wednesday. Mer, a Koli community leader, was inducted into the Congress in the presence of the party's state unit chief Amit Chavda, state Congress in-charge Rajiv Satav and Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly Paresh Dhanani in Ahmedabad.

Mer followed the footstep of former BJP minister in Gujarat Sundersinh Chauhan who joined the Grand Old Party on Tuesday. Chauhan had resigned from the saffron party a few days back.

Mer Claims He Quit BJP for Farmers

Mer was a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad district between 2012 and 2017. The BJP did not give him the ticket again in 2017 polls. Mer had left the Congress and joined the BJP ahead of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. He fought the Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket in 2009, but lost to Congress candidate Somabhai Patel, also a Koli leader.

Talking to the media Wednesday, Mer claimed that BJP and its government were anti-farmer.

“This government works only for the rich. I am leaving BJP with a heavy heart. As an MLA, I made several representations to the government about the problems of farmers. But I only received assurances.”

Lalji Mer

Sundersinh Chauhan joins the Congress.(Photo courtesy: Gujarat Congress)

BJP is ‘Anti-Farmer’: Sundersinh

On Tuesday, four-time MLA and former Gujarat minister Sundersinh Chauhan had joined the Congress, alleging that the BJP leadership was ignoring him.

Chauhan claimed that he joined the Congress in protest against "anti-farmer" policies of the ruling party. Chauhan had served as an MLA for four terms and also as a minister of state (MoS). Chauhan had headed Social Justice and Empowerment department and Labour and Employment portfolio as an MoS.

He had represented Mahemdabad Assembly seat in Kheda taluka for four terms till 2012 when he was defeated by Congress candidate Gautam Chauhan. He was not given a ticket for the 2017 assembly polls. Chauhan was also made a parliamentary secretary by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the past.

Satav said Chauhan's experience will come handy for the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.