Modhwadia joins BJP, says ‘kalami amba in Congress, party almost lost connect with people’ | Ahmedabad News

Addressing mediapersons, Modhwadia said, “I am a first generation politician. I joined politics so that I can bring some change in my constituency of Porbandar and to Gujarat. I tried to fulfill this dream while staying in Congress for 40 years. But today, Congress has almost lost its connect with people.”

Maintaining that he has joined the BJP to contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of Viksit Bharat, he said: “I have decided to make contribution like a squirrel who contributed in building the Ram Setu of Lord Ram.”

He assured that as a BJP worker, he would double the efforts he put in Congress. “We have not inherited politics. We are not kalami amba. We came into politics from poor family while doing a lot of hardwork to make some contribution. That contribution was not possible in the party I was in (Congress). Now, it has got a NGO-like form…,” he added.

Replying to media queries about his criticism of BJP in the past, Modhwadia said, “What could be more… than BJP giving me entry despite my such criticism? It shows their generosity. The difficulty was where I was (Congress). There, you had to wait for five to seven years for a meeting. The chief minister of Assam has talked about it in detail… (Here in BJP) a tea-maker becomes the PM, it wasn’t inherited.”

“Not me, but the chief minister of Telangana (Revanth Reddy) has said that Modi is a big brother and we all should follow the Gujarat model. What could be bigger certificate than this… So, the thing is that the world accepts. It does not matter whether I accept it or not. I could have been speaking as per my role (in Congress). But I, too, knew the reality. I would have told you so while meeting privately. I was playing my role there,” he told mediapersons.

Without naming anyone, he added, “The difficulty in Congress was that there were kalami amba there. The hardwork required in sowing and cultivating a seed, the pain one has to undergo during germination from the soil… one has to be saved if an animal comes to eat it and after that it becomes a plant and grows up. Here, there are kalami amba. So, there is bound to be difficulty.”

Modhwadia rejected claims that Opposition leaders join BJP under pressure of investigating agencies or because of some enticement. “During the 20 years when I led Congress, not a single case has been registered against me. Not just me, no case has been registered against any Congress leader. So, the talk of pressure or enticement are out of question.”

Der, meanwhile, said he was associated with VHP, Bajrang Dal and youth wing of BJP between 2003 and 2009. He was also, once a part of BSP and SP before joining Congress in 2017, he added. Der said he and his family were “shocked” and “disappointed” by the statements made by Congress while refusing to join the consecration ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and therefore, he decided to join the BJP. Speaking to The Indian Express, Dharmesh Patel said: “I believe in Sanatan Dharma and was deeply heartbroken when our leader Rahul Gandhi did not visit Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya even after an invitation was extended. I have no grudges against any party leader. I thought why can’t we switch over to the BJP, and get the work done of my people.”

Patel had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Navsari as Congress candidate against Paatil and lost. After staying in Canada for a long time, he had returned to Navsari about two months ago.

When contacted, Navsari district Congress president Shailesh Patel said, “He has refused to share the reason for his exit. He runs a real estate business in Navsari… there may be some issues. He neither attended any party meeting for the last two years nor participate in any rally. His absence will not make any difference to the party.”