Gujarat: Day after resignation as MLA, Arjun Modhwadia joins BJP

Addressing mediapersons, Modhwadia said, “I am a first generation politician. I joined politics so that I can bring some change in my constituency of Porbandar and to Gujarat. I tried to fulfill this dream while staying in Congress for 40 years. But today, Congress has almost lost its connect with people.”

Maintaining that he has joined the BJP to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Viksit Bharat, he said: “I have decided to make contribution like a squirrel who contributed in building the Ram Setu of Lord Ram.” He assured that as a BJP worker, he would double the efforts he put in Congress. “We have not inherited politics. We are not kalami amba. We came into politics from poor family while doing a lot of hardwork to make some contribution. That contribution was not possible in the party I was in (Congress). Now, it has got a NGO-like form…,” he added.

Replying to media queries about his criticism of BJP in the past, Modhwadia said, “What could be more… than BJP giving me entry despite my such criticism? It shows their generosity. The difficulty was where I was (Congress). There, you had to wait for five to seven years for a meeting. The chief minister of Assam has talked about it in detail… (Here in BJP) a tea-maker becomes the PM, it wasn’t inherited.”

“Not me, but the chief minister of Telangana (Revanth Reddy) has said that Modi is a big brother and we all should follow the Gujarat model. What could be bigger certificate than this… ,” he told mediapersons.

Modhwadia rejected claims that Opposition leaders join BJP under pressure of investigating agencies or because of some enticement. Der, meanwhile, said he was associated with VHP, Bajrang Dal and youth wing of BJP between 2003 and 2009.