Gandhinagar, Sep 4 (IANS): In an embarrassment to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in his hometown Rajkot, a BJP municipal corporator quit the saffron party along with a couple of other BJP functionaries on Thursday and joined the Congress in the presence of its new working president Hardik Patel.

Dakshaben Bhesania, corporator in Rajkot Municipal Corporation ward number 5 from BJP, on Thursday quit the saffron party to move to the Congress party. The move is believed to be significant considering the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Rajkot.

Apart from that, Atul Kamani, the president of Saurashtra Market Yard Association too, joined the Congress on Thursday along with 20 of the office bearers from Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the BJP, and youth BJP also joined the Congress party on Thursday. Social activist Chandniben Limbasiya also joined the Congress.

"We welcome all those who have joined the Congress party. There are still 5 more BJP corporators who are in our close contact and who will be joining the Congress in the coming days," said Patel.

"In 2015, we missed the bus by just two seats, but this election we will surely form the board of the municipal corporations. Today, a large number of people were going to join the Congress but owing to the pandemic situation, we could not allow that and only the function of some leaders was held," added Patel.

"The Congress has not only given a tough opposition to the government as opposition party, but we have provided the public an alternative solution," added Patel.

Reacting to the development, Rajkot BJP city president Kamlesh Mirani said, "Dakshaben joining the Congress was expected and evident. Along with her husband, she had been involved in anti-party activities since last two years. Last week she was clearly given the signal that she might never get a ticket. The Congress has lured her with a ticket."