Trouble mounts for Congress in Gujarat; three party MLAs close to Shankarsinh Vaghela quit to join BJP

Three Congress MLAs in Gujarat, considered close to 'expelled' party leader Shankarsinh Vaghela, resigned from the party on Thursday to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Congress Chief Whip in the Gujarat Assembly Balwantsinh Rajput and MLAs Tejashree Patel and PI Patel submitted their resignations today. 

After resigning from the grand-old party, the three lawmakers arrived at BJP office in Gandhinagar where they joined the saffron party.

Gujarat Congress MLAs P I Patel,Balwantsinh Rajput and Tejashree Patel who had resigned earlier, arrive at BJP office in Gandhinagar pic.twitter.com/Uqn7ay8U3q

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 27, 2017

During his 77th birthday celebrations in Gandhinagar on July 21, Shankarsinh ​Vaghela announced that he was expelled from Congress. "Congress expelled me 24 hours back, fearing what I would say at the event," the former Gujarat Chief Minister said.

Interestingly, Vaghela heaped praise on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, saying 'RSS people are good.

Vaghela is said to be unhappy with the Congress for not having been given a free hand for the party's campaign for the state Assembly Election 2017.

However, Congress rejected Vaghela's expulsion claims and said that "no action was ever taken against him'. 

Party leader RS Surjewala said that his party had refused to grant Vaghela's wish to replace the current Gujarat Congress chief and hence he may have been upset