Rebel BJP leader Jay Narayan Vyas to join Congress: Sources

Jay Narayan Vyas (Credit: ANI)

Former Gujarat minister Jay Narayan Vyas, who resigned from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday, is all set to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from Sidhpur constituency on a Congress ticket.

The veteran leader said he had been approached by both the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

“The top leadership of both the parties have approached me. I have asked my workers on the ground to assess which would be a better fit. I will take a decision within two days,” Vyas told Moneycontrol.

However, sources said Vyas will be joining the Congress and has spoken to chairperson of the Congress parliamentary party Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot as well.

Vyas, a four-time MLA from Sidhpur, started his political journey with the saffron party in 1990. However, he lost two consecutive Assembly elections in 2012 and 2017 to Congress candidates.

The 75-year-old politician says he resigned from the party for the dignity of his workers, who have been with him since he started contesting elections.

“As of now BJP has not announced its candidates, I have not resigned because the party was not ready to give me a ticket. I have resigned because the request of my workers for various developmental projects was rejected by party leaders. In the last five years, they have been rebuked on several occasions for raising public issues,” Vyas added.

Vyas has served as a three-time cabinet minister in the Gujarat government, and worked under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister of the state.

Vyas claims surveys have shown that he is one of the most popular faces in Sidhpur. “I have gained momentum on the ground because I have worked with dedication and without any bias. Sidhpur has 91 villages, mostly comprising people from the minority community and other backward classes (OBC),” he said.

Notably, neither the AAP nor the Congress have announced their candidates from the Sidhpur Assembly segment.