No responsibility on our part to halt Congress exodus, says BJP leader

Pradipsinh Vaghela, a senior BJP leader in Gujarat, said Congress must stop its legislators and workers from leaving ahead of the Assembly polls in December, in response to claims made by a Rajasthan MLA that the BJP may try to lure 10 Congress legislators from Gujarat.

"I believe it is the responsibility of a political party and its leadership to hold on to its workers, provide them timely guidance and make good use of their strength. It is Congress' misfortune that it has failed to hold on to its workers, MLAs," Mr Vaghela said.

It is the opposition party's responsibility, and not ours, to stop this process, he added, adding that "there are no vacancies" for Congress MLAs in the BJP at the moment.

"Congress should try to stop leaders who are established names in society and work for the public from leaving," Mr Vaghela added.

According to independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, adviser to chief minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, the BJP is seeking to lure "ten Congress MLAs ahead of 2022 elections in Gujarat.

"I have warned the Congress. I have inputs about it and that is why I have informed the party. I informed Raghu Sharma 20 days ago... There was no movement from his side so I have tagged the party high command to alert it," Mr Lodha told PTI.

Eight Congress members in Gujarat have resigned in the months before the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and joined the BJP. Five former Congress members joined the BJP recently. The Congress has 65 legislators in Gujarat, down from 77 seats in 2017.