Disqualified Cong MLA Barad reaches out to Ahirs, flays BJP

At a time when the BJP is trying to woo Ahirs ahead of Lok Sabha polls, disqualified Gujarat Congress MLA Bhagvan Barad, who belongs to the OBC community, accused the ruling party of targetting him in an old case, in which he has been convicted by court.

In view of a spate of defections of MLAs from the Congress camp to the BJP recently, Barad alleged the government has adopted a "threat" strategy to make Congress MLAs switch sides.

Barad, who represented Talala seat in Gir Somnath district, was disqualified by the Legislative Assembly Speaker, days after he was convicted by a court in an illegal mining case, which handed him a jail term for two years and nine months.

His conviction was later stayed by upper court, which was set aside by the Gujarat High Court recently.

Barad has challenged his disqualification before the HC.

The Election Commission has announced byelections to Talala, Manavadar, Unjha, Jamnagar Rural and Dhrangadhra seats. Except Talala, the sitting ...