Lok Sabha polls: Gujarat Congress MLA quits as party gives ticket to ex-BJP leader

Earlier on Wednesday, Kalu Dabhi’s supporters had already begun celebrations of his nomination even before the party declared its candidate officially. When the official announcement of Bimal Shah’s candidature was made, Dabhi’s supporters created a ruckus at the party office, demanding an immediate correction in the party’s decision. Local Congress leaders say Kanu relayed a message to the GPCC about his intention to resign during the day, giving the party time to revise their decision. However, when no change was made until evening, he despatched his resignation from all party posts.

Shah, who has been chosen to take on BJPs sitting MP Devusinh Chauhan, had joined the Congress in January after a meeting with Rahul Gandhi. The former transport minister of the state quit the BJP after the party decided to field Kanu Dabhi, who had lost the polls in 2012 to Vaghela. This is not the first time that Shah has quit the party. In 2012, Shah had quit the BJP after the party declared Dabhi its candidate from Kapadvanj and joined the Keshubhai Patel-led Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) and extended support to Vaghela in the 2012 polls. He had rejoined the BJP in March 2014, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

For his candidature as an Independent from Kapadvanj Constituency during the Assembly polls, Shah contested on a symbol of a pressure cooker, backed by Shankarsinh Vaghela.