Gujarat Congress legislators Alpesh Thakor and Dhavalsinh Zala resigned from the Legislative Assembly on Friday, after voting in the bypolls for two Rajya Sabha seats. The two have voted against Congress candidates.
“The Congress observer tried to create a lot of issues over my vote, so you can understand for whom did I vote,” Mr. Thakor told media persons after casting his vote. He added that he has resigned as legislator and will now contest the by-election from his Assembly constituency Radhanpur in north Gujarat.
His close aide and legislator Dhaval Zala has also cross-voted and subsequently resigned from the Assembly.
According to sources, both are likely to join the BJP soon and will contest the by-elections from their respective Assembly seats.
The by-election is being held as the two Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant after BJP leaders Amit Shah and Smriti Irani, who were elected to the Lok Sabha, resigned.
Besides Mr. Thakor and Mr. Zala, the BJP has also got additional votes of lone NCP MLA Kandhal Jadeja and two Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) legislators, Chhotubhai Vasava and his son Mahesh Vasava.
