- Kanbhai Savaliya switched from BJP to Congress then back to BJP within one day in Dhoraji
- Savaliya claimed his return to BJP was voluntary and without external political pressure
- He described his Congress induction and scarf wearing as mere formalities
The local political landscape in Gujarat's Dhoraji witnessed a high-stakes drama on Thursday as Kanbhai Savaliya, the Sarpanch of Patanvav village, executed a dramatic U-turn within a single day. In a sequence of events, Savaliya donned the Congress scarf in the morning, only to return to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by late afternoon.
The day began with a significant jolt to the local BJP unit when Savaliya announced his decision to join the Congress. Photos and reports of him being welcomed into the opposition fold quickly circulated, suggesting a shift in rural power dynamics. However, the political shift was short-lived. By evening, Savaliya, accompanied by several local supporters and members, re-embraced the BJP, citing a change of heart.
Addressing the media regarding his rapid "Ghar Vapsi" (homecoming), Savaliya clarified that the move was entirely voluntary. "We have taken this decision based on our own understanding and without any kind of political or outside pressure," the Sarpanch stated. "We felt that remaining in the mainstream flow was more appropriate for us, which is why we have returned."
When questioned about his morning meeting with Congress leaders, Savaliya downplayed the event, describing the induction ceremony and the wearing of the Congress scarf as a mere "formality".
While party-switching is common in regional politics, the sheer speed of this reversal - occurring in less than eight hours - has become the talk of the town in the Dhoraji belt.
Earlier In Bhavnagar
In a remarkably swift political U-turn, Sejalben Gohil, a former BJP councillor from Bhavnagar, resigned and joined the Congress party only to return to the BJP just three hours later. During her brief stint with Congress, Gohil cited personal safety concerns and a lack of support from her original party as reasons for her departure. However, by late Monday afternoon, she appeared at the BJP headquarters to formally apologise, claiming she had been "misled" and describing her short-lived defection as a significant mistake.
Gohil now affirms her lifelong commitment to the BJP. Bhavnagar City Congress President Manoharsinh Gohil maintains that she had been in talks to switch sides for months and suggests her sudden return was likely fuelled by external pressure.
