Ex-Gujarat Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia quits party over Lord Ram stance, likely to join BJP

The MLA from Porbandar tendered his resignation to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary in Gandhinagar.

Ahmedabad: Barely a couple of days before the arrival of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the state, party's former Gujarat chief and Porbandar MLA Arjun Modhwadia on Monday resigned from the party.

Modhwadia, who cited party's decision to turn down Ram Mandir invitation as one of the reasons to quit the grand old party, is one of the most senior leaders in the state who has been associated with Congress for nearly four decades.

After criticising his party's decision to turn down Ram Mandir temple invite in January, his departure was being speculated. 

Modhwadia hails from Maher community (other backward caste), whose departure is said to be a big setback for the grand old party ahead of Lok Sabha elections. 

He was the leader of opposition during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stint as a chief minister. Modhwadia tendered his resignation to Gujarat Assembly speaker Shankar Chaudhary and also shot off a letter to party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge. 

In his letter to party chief Kharge, he stated, "By declining the invitation to witness pran pratishtha mahotsav have hurt the sentiments of the people of India, Congress as a party failed to assess the sentiments of the people."

It further added how Rahul Gandhi "created a ruckus in Assam which further angered our party cadres and citizens of Bharat." 

Later after resignation, he told reporters, "When a political party loses touch with people, it becomes an NGO. Ram Mandir was a matter of people's faith but people in Congress hurt their feelings by not attending the consecration ceremony."

Earlier in the day, his party colleague Ambrish Der also resigned. Both are likely to join BJP on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Congress' president Shaktisinh Gohil expressed surprise and told reporters that Modhwadia on Sunday had attended meetings in Godhra with other party leaders including Madhusudan Mistry for preparing Rahul Gandhi's "Bharat Jodo Yatra" entering Gujarat on March 7.

With Modhwadia's resignation Congress' tally in the state assembly has been reduced to 14 from 17 in the house of 182. Earlier, Congress leader and first-time MLA Chirag Patel had resigned as a legislator from Khambhat Assembly seat in Anand district.

Last month, another senior leader and Vijapur (Mehsana) MLA CJ Chavda had resigned from the party.