Godhra MLA joins BJP, Muslim voters vows never to vote

Five-term MLA from Godhra constituency CK Raulji who quit Congress to join BJP earlier in the month of August filed his nomination on Thursday.

Raulji started his political career with Janta Dal and later joined BJP and won two terms. In 1995 when Vaghela split the BJP, Raulji joined Vaghela in Rashtriya Janta Party (RJP). But soon joined Congress when Vaghela merged RJP in Congress. He twice contested on the ticket of Congress and made his way to the state assembly.

However, Muslims voter has expressed their anger and decided not to vote him anymore since he started patronizing BJP.

According to a local resident of Godhra Yamin Khan, 60, added: “Muslim voters have been voting for Raulji because he was in Congress; now that he is the BJP, they won’t vote for him.”

In Godhra constituency, Muslims are one-fifth of the total population. The 2.5 lakh voters are Muslim which potentially decides the electoral result.

In the year 2002 BJP last won in Godhra. This time with the inclusion of Raulji the ruling party hoping a comeback.

However, in a new challenge, Raulji has to face a rebel candidate, Dr. Jaswant Parmar, a BJP member who has also filed nomination independently on the same seat.

Congress, however, hasn’t declared any his candidate from Godhra.