Former Union minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government and six-time MP from Gujarat’s Bharuch, Mansukh Bhai Vasava, has quit from the BJP and has also announced that he would resign from Lok Sabha during Parliament's budget session.
In a letter to the state BJP president CR Paatil, Mr Vasava said: "I have been loyal to the party. I have taken care of the party's values. However, after all, I am a human being. A man makes mistakes knowingly or unknowingly. I am resigning from the party so that my mistake may not cause damage to the party. During the Budget session, I will meet the Speaker in person and hand over him my resignation from the membership of Lok Sabha. Please convey this decision to the Central leadership.”
It is assumed that Mr Vasava's resignation is a move to apply pressure on the party.
Reportedly, the 56-year-old minister has been in dismay about the party's lack of response on the issues he has been raising and also been critical about the working of the state BJP. Lately, Mr Vasava has been raising various problems related to his constituency.
Last week, Mr Vasava in a letter to PM Modi had sought withdrawal of a notification from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change declaring 121 villages of Narmada district as eco-sensitive zones.
Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya stated that the party has received Mr Vasava’s resignation letter through social media and said Paatil talked with Mr Vasava is a senior MP from Gujarat and any issue he has will be resolved.