75 year old Vyas had quit the BJP earlier this month after he did not get a ticket from his traditional constituency of Siddhpur in Patan district.
Ahmedabad: Jay Narayan Vyas, former Gujarat health minister who quit the BJP earlier this month, joined the Congress party on Monday along with his son Sameer Vyas. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot were present at the joining ceremony of Vyas.
75 year old Vyas had quit the BJP earlier this month after he did not get a ticket from his traditional constituency of Siddhpur in Patan district. Even before that, Vyas was disillusioned with the state BJP leadership and was seen criticising them frequently on news channels and social media.
After he resigned from the BJP, the veteran politician had recently met Sonia Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He was also seen campaigning for the Congress candidate from Siddhpur a few days back.
In his resignation letter to state BJP president CR Patil, Vyas said, “I have been actively serving the BJP for the last three decades as per the ideology of the party. I am today resigning from the party for personal reasons.”
In 2007 assembly elections, Vyas defeated Congress candidate Balvantsinh Rajput and became the Cabinet minister in charge of health and family welfare in the chief minister Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government. However, since 2012 defeat in elections, his stature in the party kept deteriorating.
A bureaucrat in the past, Vyas is credited for expanding the reach of Narmada water to villages of Gujarat. Vyas was chairman of Sardar Sarovar Dam project.
As per reports, Vyas was in touch with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as well. One functionary of AAP on the request of anonymity told Gujarati media that discussions have taken place with Vyas and they were hopeful that he would join their party.
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