Ahmedabad: In a significant blow to the Gujarat Congress just ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections, prominent Congress leader Vipul Patel made a high-profile defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, accompanied by a staggering 500 supporters. This mass transition comes as part of a broader trend, with a thousand community and political leaders also switching allegiance to the BJP, symbolized by donning the saffron cap and scarf in Gandhinagar.
The political exodus unfolded at the BJP state party headquarters, 'Shri Kamalam,' in the state capital, where the BJP state party chief, CR Paatil, presided over the induction ceremony. Vipul Patel, along with several other leaders, officially joined the saffron party, emphasizing a formidable show of strength for the BJP ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha polls.
List Of Prominent Leaders Who Joined The Saffron Camp
Apart from Vipul Patel, the list of new BJP entrants includes prominent figures like Indrajitsinh Thakor, former MLA from Mahudha seat, Sudhirbhai Patel, former president of Youth Congress and Himmatnagar Marketing Yard, Vinodbhai Chaudhary, former president of Kheralu Taluka Congress, and Jeetrandra Sinh Parmar, along with various other district and taluka-level Congress leaders. The magnitude of this political shift underscores the challenges faced by the Gujarat Congress in retaining its leaders and maintaining unity.
CR Paatil, Gujarat BJP President, extended a warm welcome to the new members, personally adorning them with the symbolic saffron cap and scarf (Khes). In his address, Paatil expressed confidence in the collective strength of the party and its new recruits. "We assure you that we will move forward together, and we will strengthen Gujarat, and by strengthening Gujarat, we will strengthen the country," affirmed Paatil, outlining the party's commitment to unity and progress.
Vipul Patel's Political Journey:
Vipul Patel, a seasoned political figure, served as a director in Sabar Dairy for four consecutive terms. His past roles include the presidency of the Sabarkantha district Congress committee, and he was the Congress candidate from Himmatnagar in the 2014 by-election of the Gujarat Assembly. Patel's decision to switch sides adds another layer of complexity to the political landscape in Gujarat, signaling a potential realignment of political forces in the state.
As the state inches closer to the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's successful wooing of influential leaders from the Congress poses a formidable challenge for the opposition, while strengthening the ruling party's prospects in the upcoming polls.
