Former Gujarat Congress MLA from Dehgam constituency, Kamini Baa Rathore, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.
Miffed over being denied a ticket by the party to contest the upcoming Assembly elections, Kamini Baa had recently resigned from the Congress.
She later entered the fray as Independent candidate but later withdrew her nomination as it became clear that she was about to join saffron camp.
Polling for 182 Assembly constituencies in the state would be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.
Speaking to reporters after joining the BJP, Kamini Baa said, "Voices of wise and experienced leaders are being suppressed in the Congress. The same happened with me. An attempt was made to suppress a woman's voice. I joined the BJP as it believes in giving every single worker a voice and working unitedly."
Eighty nine of the total 182 Assembly seats will go to polls in the first phase on December 1.
The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 27 years and is eyeing a resh term at the helm this year.
However, it faces a stiff challenge from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is determined to make electoral inroads in Gujarat after its spectacular Assembly poll win in Punjab.
The Congress, too, is in the race in the hope of unseating the BJP from power.
( With inputs from ANI )
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