Former BJP minister joins Congress

Former BJP minister in Gujarat, Sundersinh Chauhan, Tuesday joined the Congress in protest against “anti-farmer” policies of the ruling party.

Chauhan had served as an MLA for four terms and also as a minister of state (MoS).

He was inducted into the Congress fold by state unit party president Amit Chavda and party in-charge for Gujarat Rajiv Satav. Chauhan had headed Social Justice and Empowerment department and Labour and Employment portfolio as a MoS. He had represented Mahemdabad assembly seat in Kheda taluka for four terms till 2012 when he was defeated by Congress candidate Gautam Chauhan.

He was not given a ticket for the 2017 assembly polls. Chauhan was also made a parliamentary secretary by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in the past. Chauhan had resigned from the saffron party a few days back. After his induction into the Congress, Chauhan told reporters that he left the BJP because of its “anti-farmer” policies. “I have resigned from the BJP as the party and its government have become anti-farmer,” he said, claiming that the ruling party was ignoring him and the entire farming community.