ARJUN AIMS RAMBAN AT CONG, DER FINDS NEW DERA IN BJP

Senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia quits party; slams top leadership for declining invite to Ram Mandir inauguration and 'failing to sense pulse of the people'; ex-MLA Ambarish Der also quits Congress

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In a double whammy for Congress ahead of Lok Sabha polls, senior MLA Arjun Modhwadia and Gujarat unit working chief Ambarish Der resigned on Monday expressing anguish over the party's decision to "boycott" Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony held in Ayodhya in January.

Interestingly, both leaders announced their decision to quit Congress just three days ahead of the scheduled entry of Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Gujarat.

Days before Der and Modhwadia quit Congress, the party's Rajya Sabha member and former Union Minister Naran Rathwa had joined the ruling BJP along with his son and a large number of supporters.

Der said he would join the Bharatiya Janata Party "without any conditions". Though Modhwadia has not yet announced his next move, he is likely to join the BJP today.

Modhwadia, who represented the Porbandar seat, submitted his resignation as MLA to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary Gandhinagar on Monday evening.