Gandhinagar: Two former BJP MLAs Lalji Mer and Sundersinh Chauhan have decided to join Congress. One of them Sundersinh Chauhan joined Congress today at State party headquarters in presence of State Congress incharge Rajiv Satav and State party chief Amit Chavda.

Sundersinh Chauhan was Janta Dal MLA from Mehmedabad seat in 1990 and later BJP MLA representing same seat post 1998, 2002 and 2007(he didn’t contest election in 1995). He was junior minister(labour and employment) for two terms and parliamentary secretary of Panchayats department during 2009-2012. He was defeated by rival Congress candidate in 2012 general elections. Chauhan wasn’t repeated as BJP candidate in 2017 assembly polls.

Lalji Mer is likely to join Congress party tomorrow. He was BJP MLA from Dhandhuka for one term. He belongs to Koli community. He is eyeing party ticket to contest from Jasdan assembly seat, by-poll of which is scheduled to take place on 20th December.

Lalji Mer was defeated as independent candidate on Limbi seat in 1995 and again as Congress candidate in 1998 in Limbdi seat. He was defeated once again as Congress candidate on Chotila seat in 2002. He didn’t contest election in 2007. In 2009 Lok Sabha election, BJP fielded Mer on Surendranagar seat against Soma Patel. Mer lost the election. BJP’s choice of candidate was termed responsible for defeat on this seat. Mer could be winner only once on Dhandhuka seat as BJP candidate in 2012 but wasn’t repeated as candidate in 2017.

DeshGujarat