Assembly Elections 2012: Dissidence marks Congress ranks in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Still smarting under senior party leader Narhari Amin's dissidence ahead of the Assembly polls, Gujarat Congress received another jolt today when a former minister and a sitting MLA severed their ties with the party.

While the minister in erstwhile Congress government Ishwarsinh Chavda joined the BJP, buzz is that Surat district Congress president and Bardoli MLA Kunwarji Halpati may also follow the suit.

Confirming the developments, convener of BJP Media Cell Jagdish Bhavsar told PTI that "former minister Ishwarsinh Chavda today joined BJP while Kunwarji Halpati is expected to join the party on Tuesday."

Halpati was sulking since he was denied ticket by Congress to contest from Gandevi seat (ST) after his constituency Bardoli became a Scheduled Caste seat.