In a major setback to Congress party in Gujarat ahead of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting scheduled to be held on March 12 in Ahmedabad, two party legislators resigned and join the ruling BJP on Friday.

The MLAs were Jawahar Chavda, a senior MLA from Manavadar and Parshottam Sabaria, a first time MLA from Dhrangadhra, both from Saurashtra region. After resigning as legislators, both joined BJP and likely to contest by elections on BJP ticket. .

Mr Chavda, a prominent Congress face in Junagadh district had won the assembly polls four times since 1990. He was also a mining and education baron running several education institutions and doing limestone mining in Junagadh district.

“I have realised that to better serve your constituency, you should be with the ruling party and that has driven me to BJP,” Mr Chavda told media persons after joining the ruling party.

He was from Junagadh district where the BJP had suffered heavily in the assembly polls in 2017.

Another legislator to join the BJP was Parshottam Sabaria, who had won the assembly polls in 2017. Interestingly, he was arrested by the state police in a corruption case and was recently released on bail.

“BJP is misusing state machinery and offering money to lure our MLAs,” said leader of the opposition Paresh Dhanani.

Earlier, senior Congress leader Kuvarji Bavalia had defected to the BJP and became a cabinet minister. Recently, Dr Asha Patel, law maker from Unjha constituency, also resigned and joined the ruling party.