Congress loses 3 MLAs in two days, Barad joins BJP

Congress had declared Dr Mitesh Garasiya as candidate for Jhalod, reserved for ST communities, while dropping Katara.

Congress veteran tribal MLA from Chhota Udepur, Mohansinh Rathava, had resigned from the party and joined the BJP Tuesday. Barad was welcomed into the BJP fold by state general secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela at the party’s media centre in Ahmedabad.

A strong leader of Talala region of Gir Somnath district, Barad, 63,  won by more than 31,000 votes in the 2017 Assembly elections. He belongs to the Ahir community, which is considered to be electorally significant in Saurashtra region.

Barad comes from a political family — his father Dhanabhai and brother Jashubhai were senior Congress leaders.

Speaking with media persons after joining the BJP, Barad said that he tendered his resignation letter to Assembly Speaker Nimaben Acharya. Barad also said that he did not want to indulge in any criticism of anybody and that he joined BJP after a lot of churning.

Barad said, “I am joining the BJP to be part of the development journey of Narendrabhai Modi and will perform whatever task given by the party.”

He also said that his family is originally not from Congress and that they initially worked for Janata Dal (JD) under the leadership of Chimanbhai Patel and had to join Congress against their will after JD’s merger with it.

Barad claimed that Congress will be finished in Gujarat while adding that he will work to ensure that BJP comes victorious on all the seats of Gir Somnath and Junagadh districts in the upcoming assembly elections.

In March 2019, Barad was convicted in a 24-year-old case of illegal limestone mining by a magisterial court. His conviction, however, was subsequently stayed by the Gujarat High Court.

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