Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat minister Jai Narayan Vyas, who resigned from the BJP, joined the Congress on Monday. The 75-year-old former BJP leader was inducted into the party under the leadership of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gollot was also present on the occasion.
Along with Vyas, his son Sameer Vyas also joined the Congress. Vyas was a part of BJP for more than 30 years. Vyas was a member of the cabinet where Narendra Modi and Keshubhai Patel were chief ministers. He was the Minister of Health and Family Welfare in 2007-2012. He left the BJP on November 5. After resigning, he had said that he was thinking about Congress and Aam Aadmi Party and would contest the upcoming elections.
In 1998 and 2007, Vyas represented the Legislative Assembly from Sidpur in Patan district. It failed here in 2002, 2012 and 2017. Congress leader Balwantsinh Rajput, who defeated Vyas here in 2002 and 2012, is now in the BJP. Vyas is a civil engineer who graduated from IIT Bombay. Has expertise in administration, economics and finance. Vyas was also the Chairman of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited.
Meanwhile, after being denied seats in the upcoming elections, many BJP leaders have defected from the party or filed as independents. Elections to the 82-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.
English Summary: Ex-Gujarat Minister Jay Narayan Vyas Joins Congress Days After Quitting BJP