"Can't Abuse Wealth Creators": Gourav Vallabh Switches From Congress To BJP

Gourav Vallabh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party today hours after quitting the Congress citing discomfort with the party's current trajectory. In a two-page resignation letter, Mr Vallabh said that he was not happy with the directionless way the party was moving.

"I can neither raise anti-Sanatan slogans nor abuse wealth creators day in and day out. Therefore, I resign from all posts and primary membership of the party," Mr Vallabh said.

Mr Vallabh, who used to be a Congress spokesperson and was often seen on news channels, said that he had found himself uncomfortable with several stands taken by the party.

"I am uncomfortable with the directionless way, in which the Congress Party is moving forward today," he wrote in his letter.

कांग्रेस पार्टी आज जिस प्रकार से दिशाहीन होकर आगे बढ़ रही है,उसमें मैं ख़ुद को सहज महसूस नहीं कर पा रहा.मैं ना तो सनातन विरोधी नारे लगा सकता हूं और ना ही सुबह-शाम देश के वेल्थ क्रिएटर्स को गाली दे सकता.इसलिए मैं कांग्रेस पार्टी के सभी पदों व प्राथमिक सदस्यता से इस्तीफ़ा दे रहाहूं pic.twitter.com/Xp9nFO80I6

Mr Vallabh made his poll debut in 2019 from Jharkhand's Jamshedpur East, where he bagged over 18,000 and ended up in third spot behind then-sitting chief minister Raghubar Das and Saryu Roy.

He then contested the Rajasthan assembly election from the Udaipur constituency in 2023. However, he lost to the BJP candidate with a margin of around 32,000 votes.

The switch comes just a day after boxer Vijender Singh quit the Congress and defected to the BJP.

The voting for the Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases starting April 11. Counting of votes will take place on June 4.