Gujarat AAP Leaders Join Congress

Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in poll-bound Gujarat today joined the Congress along with over 200 supporters.

Among AAP members who crossed over included its state women wing head Vandana Patel, besides its Ahmedabad, Kheda, Mehsana and Rajkot incharges Rituraj Mehta, Hasmukh Patel, Lalubhai ladiwala, Ankur Dhameliya, and Tushar Jani, respectively.

They were inducted in the Congress fold at the party headquarters in the presence of its Gujarat unit president Bharatsinh Solanki.

The leaders said they were quitting the AAP as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is fielding candidates in select seats in a bid to damage the Congress' prospects and help the ruling BJP. "We have resolved to support the Congress to uproot the BJP in Gujarat. We are quitting the AAP as we felt that the party is fighting against the Congress instead of the BJP," Vandana Patel said.

Rituraj Mehta said those who contest the forthcoming polls as the third front will end up supporting the BJP.

AAP had recently announced its first list of candidates for eleven assembly constituencies including Rajkot (West), being represented by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

AAP Gujarat incharge Gopal Rai had recently said that his party's contest is against the BJP and the party will not end up into eating votes of the Congress.

He had said the AAP will contest polls on those seats where it has an organisational base.