Prahlad Gunjal took membership of Congress on Thursday in the presence of former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasra. Prahlad Gunjal is a former two-time MLA and a senior leader of BJP. It is a major reshuffle in Kota politics.
Prahlad Gunjal who comes from the background of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has a lot of influence in the Gurjar community of three to four districts of Rajasthan. He was associated with the BJP for four decades. Furthermore, he was first elected from Ramganjmandi in Kota district in 2003.
There is political turmoil in Rajasthan before the Lok Sabha elections. Leaders of political parties are changing sides as per their wishes. Controversial leader Prahlad Gunjal, who was close to Vasundhara Raje, has now joined Congress. He can be made Congress candidate against BJP candidate Om Birla from Kota.
Shanti Dhariwal expressed displeasure
Veteran Congress leader Shanti Dhariwal has expressed displeasure over Gunjal joining Congress. Till now Shanti Dhariwal and Om Birla are big faces in Kota politics. After Prahlad Gunjal enters Congress, resentment is visible among the senior leaders of the Kota Congress.
Former minister Shanti Dhariwal said that Gunjal has to contest every election, win or lose. He said that first he fought elections against me and now he is going to fight against the BJP. However, he clarified that I am a 45-year-old Congressman and am with the party. He will accept whatever orders the party gives him and work for the party.
Viral Statement of Prahlad Gunjal
During joining the Congress Prahlad Gunjal has given a statement that is going viral. He said that I had not come here to spread the carpet of any leader. The face of Kota politics has been limited to the slavery of one person and lifting the carpet.
Gunjal targeted Birla without taking his name. He said that there are two brothers in the Kota division, one elder brother and one younger brother. On which former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was seen smiling. When Prahlad Gunjal joined Congress, Ashok Gehlot was sitting with him.
Prahlad Gunjal said on one side there is selfishness and on the other side there is shopping. Gunjal said I was not junior to anyone in the BJP. When I became MLA for the first time, the current Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma was in the race to become Sarpanch.
Naresh Meena, youth leader of Kota division, also joined Congress on Thursday. It is noteworthy that earlier BJP MP from Churu Rahul Kaswa had joined Congress. Although a lot more shifted to the BJP from the Congress.