Aam Aadmi Party's Abdasa constituency candidate Vasant Khetani has withdrawn from the Assembly elections and joined the BJP candidate.
A video clip of him making the announcement has surfaced.
On Sunday evening, Vasant Khetani went out of his party, AAP's reach and rumours started that he has been kidnapped or has gone underground under political pressure. A few hours later a video clip surfaced in which he states, "In the national interest, I am retiring from the election in favour of a BJP candidate and have joined the BJP."
The BJP leaders welcomed him in the party and photos were circulated in social media.
When BJP state unit vice-president M.S. Patel was asked by the media about the development, he replied that Patidar leaders had come to convince Patidar candidate. BJP's local leader Dilip Narsangani told the local media that Vasantbhai in writing has extended support to the BJP candidate and wass now not seriously contesting the elections on AAP symbol.
AAP Kutch district committee president Rohit Gaur told the local media that since Sunday evening party candidate Vasantbhai was not reachable, and alleged that the BJP leaders have confined him in a factory.
This is the second incident where the AAP candidate has withdrawn from the elections. Earlier AAP's Surat East candidate Kanchanbhai Jariwala had withdrawn his candidature.
