Last Update: 23 October 2022, 15:13 IST
Ahmedabad (Ahmedabad) [Ahmedabad]India
Patel said he joined the Congress without hoping for a ticket for himself or his son in the upcoming elections. (Representative image: Reuters)
Gujarat Congress President Jagdish Thakor and former President Siddharth Patel welcomed Balkrishna Patel (66) to the Congress
Ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections due later this year, former BJP MLA Balkrishna Patel on Sunday joined the opposition Congress, claiming he was sidelined in the ruling party despite his hard work and commitment. Gujarat Congress President Jagdish Thakor and former President Siddharth Patel welcomed Balkrishna Patel (66) to the Congress at the party headquarters here.
Balkrishna Patel represented the Dabhoi seat of Vadodara district between 2012 and 2017 as a BJP MLA. He became an MLA in 2012 by defeating Siddharth Patel of Congress.
“I had worked hard for many years to strengthen the BJP at the district and taluka level. I was not given a ticket for the 2017 elections though I was a sitting MLA then. Even my son was not given a ticket in the crucial district panchayat elections. I left the BJP because I was constantly being neglected and sidelined,” the former MLA told reporters.
In 2017, Shailesh Mehta of BJP was elected from Dabhoi seat by defeating Siddharth Patel of Congress. Balkrishna Patel said he joined the Congress without hoping for a ticket for himself or his son in the Gujarat assembly elections to be held later this year.
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