Alpesh Thakor says not joining BJP, criticises Congress's disconnect from voters

With four of the turncoat Congress MLAs taking oath as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in the Gujarat Assembly, questions are again being raised about the future of Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor.

Meanwhile, both the BJP and Thakor himself remained non-committal about the issue. While Thakor clearly stated that he was not joining the BJP, the BJP party leaders when questioned by media on the sidelines of the swearing-in of the new BJP MLAs said the question needed to be posed to Thakor and not them.

A news agency quoted Thakor as saying that he will not join the BJP although he is in contact with quite a few of their party leaders as an MLA.

"I meet several BJP leaders as I am an MLA and I have to work for my constituency, but I have no plans of joining the BJP," said Thakor to media persons. Later, he also criticised the functioning of the Congress saying they are only interested in organising press conferences.

He said that the Congress was bound to be defeated in the Lok Sabha polls as the party has no presence at the ground and only emphasizes on organising press conferences. "Congress had no booth agents at more than 500 booths. They have lost connection with the ground level and its leaders only do pressers sitting in the party office. They should rather reach out to people in villages and try to solve their problems," said Thakor.

"Congress has become a party without any public support, without any booth management. It has become a party of only leaders," he lashed out. "The way Congress is working is the reason why they failed to understand what people want. Congress did not find a way to sort out public issues. Congress does not have strong people they have only 'chela chapatas'," he said.

It should be noted that in early may Thakor, who has considerable sway among the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and is an MLA from Radhanpur, had stepped down from all posts of the Congress party alleging discrimination by the party. He, however, had not resigned as an MLA and had insisted that he would not join the BJP.

Since then his jump to the Saffron party has been a matter of speculation. Earlier in April end, a Congress delegation led by Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda and Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani had sought Thakor's on the grounds that he had resigned from all posts in the party and was indulging in anti-party activities. Interestingly, the party had not sought disqualification of MLA Dhavalsinh Thakor and MLA Bharatsinh Thakor who had accompanied the OBC leader in resigning from Congress posts.

—With agency inputs

‘Cong Bound To Lose’ 

• It should be noted that in early May Alpesh Thakor had stepped down from all posts of the Congress alleging discrimination by the party. He, however, had not resigned as an MLA 
• He said the Cong was bound to lose LS polls as the party has no presence at the ground & was detached from voters