Gourav Vallabh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday hours after he quit the Congress, saying he can neither raise anti-Sanatan slogans nor abuse "wealth creators" day in and day out and was joining the ruling party due to his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda of "Viksit Bharat".
Former Bihar Congress president Anil Sharma, who also slammed the main opposition party for its alleged anti-Sanatan bias, and RJD leader Upendra Prasad joined the BJP as well in the presence of its national general secretary Vinod Tawde.
Vallabh, seen as an articulate Congress spokesperson, earlier shared his resignation letter written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on social media platform X.
He said he was not feeling comfortable with the directionless way the party was moving.
Vallabh said, "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."
At the joining ceremony in the BJP, he hit out at the Congress over its economic policies. He said it ridicules the policies of reforms, liberalisation and globalisation pursued by former prime minister Manmohan Singh because of its dislike for Modi whom its leaders abuse all day.
"Wealth creating cannot be a crime in the country," he said.
Vallabh said he always pursued issues-based politics and was attracted to Modi's agenda of "viksit Bharat".
He said he always wanted the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and could not accept the Congress's decision to not go to the consecration ceremony.
"Congress leaders and allies raised questions on Sanatan Dharma but the party gave no response... A big gap has emerged in the party in its handling of different issues," he said.
He added, "We are all united by the ideology of taking India ahead. I am attracted to the idea of 'Viksit Bharat'."
Anil Sharma alleged that Congress leaders, including its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, suffer from "communal mindset".
While one ideology works for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma, the BJP is working to conserve it and also develop India, he said.
