'Unhappy' Guj Cong MLA Bavaliya holds meeting of supporters

Two days after meeting Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, senior Gujarat Congress leader and Jasdan MLA Kunvarji Bavaliya held a meeting of his supporters in Rajkot where he said his supporters were asking him to "think differently" now.

Bavaliya had earlier openly expressed his displeasure with the state Congress leadership saying that he felt "ignored".

Bavaliya, who enjoys a clout in numerically strong Koli community in Gujarat, had represented the Congress from Jasdan as an MLA from 1995 to 2007. He was elected as an MP from Rajkot in 2009. In 2017, he was once again elected as the MLA from Jasdan constituency in Rajkot district.

Addressing the gathering held here yesterday, the MLA alleged that "No development work has been done in Jasdan despite my best efforts because I belong to the opposition party".

He alleged that many Koli MLAs in both (ruling BJP and the opposition Congress) parties are being ignored.

"We all should think about what can be done for the development of this constituency. My supporters are asking me to think differently now," he said.

Later talking to media persons Bavaliya evaded a direct reply when asked if he was joining the BJP.

"I have put forward my opinion in the convention and will respect the suggestions made by my supporters", Bavaliya said.

When contacted BJP's Saurashtra-Kutch spokesperson Raju Dhruv said, "We are hearing that a senior leader like Bavaliya is not happy with the Congress state leadership".

He clarified that Bavaliya has neither expressed his desire to join the BJP nor has he met senior leaders like national president Amit Shah, state unit chief Jitubhai Vaghani or chief minister Vijaybhai Rupani.

"The BJP cannot make any comment until he (Bavaliya) clears his stand," he said.