Gujarat BJP veteran and four-time MLA Jay Narayan Vyas has resigned from the party but hasn’t ruled out joining the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
I was fed up with the BJP and so have I resigned from the party. I have kept all my options open. I will contest the upcoming Gujarat elections from Siddhpur constituency,” Vyas, a former health minister, told HT on Saturday.
He explained why he was leaving the party in his resignation letter by citing personal factors.
Vyas has been in talks with senior party figures about receiving a ticket to run from Siddhpur, according to a senior Congress leader who did not want to be identified.
He said that many surveys have shown that he still remains the most popular candidate for the Sidhpur seat. Vyas has contested seven times from here, winning four times. He could not retain the seat in 2017 and lost to the Congress’ siting MLA Chandaji Thakor.
After defeating Balvantsinh Rajput of the Congress in the 2007 election for the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, he was appointed as Cabinet minister in responsibility of health and family welfare in the state’s administration under chief minister Narendra Modi.
Discussions with Vyas have reportedly taken place, and an AAP official who wished to remain unnamed expressed optimism that he would join the party.
Expert in water management, Vyas served as chairman of the corporation in charge of implementing the Sardar Sarovar Dam project in the past.