Setback for Gujarat Congress as three-time MLA resigns to join BJP

In yet another setback to Gujarat Congress ahead of Assembly polls, its three-time MLA and tribal leader Ashwin Kotwal on Tuesday resigned as MLA and from the party. Kotwal is among over a dozen Congress legislators who have resigned since 2017 citing either differences in the party or to join the ruling BJP for better prospects.

Kotwal, a three-time MLA from Khedbrahma in north Gujarat's Sabarkantha district, was reported to be sulking for the past several months following fresh appointments of office-bearers. Party sources said that he wanted the post of leader of opposition in the Assembly. However, the party chose Sukhram Rathva. Kotwal, an ex-chief whip, had stopped coming to the Congress office since then. For the past one month, he was negotiating with the BJP.

Kotwal told reporters before leaving to meet Gujarat Assembly speaker Nima Acharya to tender his resignation that he would join the BJP with 2,000 supporters at Kamlam, the party headquarters in Gandhinagar.

The defections and subsequent defeats in bypolls have reduced Congress's tally in the Assembly to 65 from 77 seats which the party had won in 2017 polls. Meanwhile, the BJP, which had been reduced to 99 seats, increased its tally to 112 in the house of 182 seats.

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