Gujarat Congress MLA Asha Patel resign

Ahmedabad, Feb 2 A Congress MLA in Gujarat, Asha Patel resigned as an member from the assembly and from the party membership Saturday because of "infighting".

Patel, who speaks to Unjha constituency in Mehsana area, submitted her acquiescence to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi in Gandhinagar at the beginning of today.

The Speaker has accepted the resignation.

Patel's exit is seen as a blow to the Congress as she had grabbed Unjha situate from the BJP in 2017 assembly polls.

Unjha is one of the seven assembly constituencies that are part of Mahesana Lok Sabha seat, as of now held by the BJP. Of the seven sections, the BJP holds four while the Congress three, including Unjha.

Patel has written a letter to party president Rahul Gandhi reporting her resignation.

"I have resigned from the party because of prevalent infighting and because the leadership has been ignoring me," she told reporters.

Patel also claimed that her portrayals with respect to the state in the Gujarat unit have not been noticed since the most recent one year.

Reacting to a question whether she would join the ruling BJP, Patel said she would counsel the people of her constituency before taking any decision.

Whenever reached, state unit Congress president Amit Chavda said it appears Patel had taken this choice for her "own gain".

"Till yesterday, she had not made any portrayal to the party," Chavda included.

Prior, Congress MLA Kunvarji Bavaliya had exchanged sides and joined the BJP.

In the 2017 assembly elections, the BJP had won 99 situates in the 182-member House while the Congress 77 seats.