Jaipur, Mar 21 (IANS): Veteran BJP leader Prahlad Gunjal on Thursday joined the Congress in the presence of former Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasra, along with many other leaders at the state Congress office. Congress leaders said the party was planning to give a ticket to Gunjal and field him against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
“I will give my 100 per cent to help the Congress win in the Hadoti region," said Gunjal after joining the Congress.
“We will work as a team this is what I assure you. I have been living with niti (policies) and riti (ethics) however I was left tormented," he added.
“The BJP has nothing left in Kota except ‘Bada bhai sahab’ and ‘Chhota bhai sahab’”, he said without taking the name of Lok Sabha Speaker Birla who is also known as ‘Bade bhai sahab’ in Kota.
Sources said that the veteran leader is annoyed with the BJP and has a running feud with Om Birla. However he has been a supporter of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Speaking on the occasion, ex-CM Gehlot said, “Leaders with mass support base are being eliminated in the BJP. Democracy is being torn to pieces in the country today.”
“Good leaders in the BJP are feeling suffocated. First the party makes allegations and as soon as that person joins the BJP he becomes a clean and polished person. This situation persists across the country,” he added.
“Gunjal has joined the party after being influenced by the policies of the Congress at a time when democracy is in danger in the country," said senior leader Gehlot.
PCC chief Dotasra alleged that there was dictatorship in the BJP and power had shifted into the hands of some people while leaders with mass base were being eliminated.
“Gunjal is a strong leader. When he felt that the BJP does not need leaders with mass base, it needs sycophants, he thought it appropriate to join the Congress,” Dotasra added.
Congress leaders said the party was planning to give a ticket to Gunjal from the Kota-Bundi seat and field him against Om Birla.
They added, “Gunjal’s name was discussed in the Congress meeting held on Wednesday.”