Another Surat AAP councillor joins BJP

Gandhinagar, Feb 14 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is the main opposition in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), got a big jolt on Monday after another of its corporators jumped ship to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 10 days after five AAP corporators had moved to the saffron camp.

Kundan Kothiya, the AAP councillor from Ward No. 4 in the Surat Municipal Corporation, joined the BJP at the state party headquarters, 'Shri Kamalam', in Gandhinagar on Monday.

She joined the saffron fold in the presence of BJP General Secretary Pradeepsinh Vaghela and Prashant Korat, the Gujarat chief of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

Speaking to the media after joining the BJP, Kothiya said, "I was suspended from AAP without any valid reason or substantial evidence of the allegations they are levelling against me. I am joining the BJP without any pressure, as per my own wish. I want to work for the public and I need a party to do that. It can't be done as an Independent."

Kothiya was elected as AAP councillor from Ward No. 4 in the civic elections held last year. She became the is sixth AAP councillor to join the BJP this month.

On February 4, five corporators Bhavana Chimanlal Solanki, Ruta Keyur Kakadiya, Manisha Jagdishbhai Kukadiya, Jyotika Vinodbhai Lathiya and Vipul Dhirubhai Movliya had left AAP fro the saffron camp.

The Surat unit of AAP suspended Kothiya on Sunday, a decision taken as a punitive action against her for alleged indiscipline, sources said.

"I demand that the allegations are first proved. Had I not been suspended, I wouldn't have joined the BJP," Kothiya told reporters.

"We welcome Kundanben into the party. Treating women with respect has been the culture of the BJP. We assure that whoever wishes to serve the public will be provided appropriate platform in our party," said Vaghela.

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