Former Odisha Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, whose controversial vote in the no-confidence motion had brought down the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999, today joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi after meeting its chief Amit Shah.
"I have decided to join the BJP, but I will join formally soon. I met Amit Shah today and made my plea which has been accepted by the party leadership," Gamang said after an hour-long meeting with Shah at his residence in New Delhi.
The 72-year old tribal leader had quit Congress on May 30 citing that while he voted against the NDA government showing his loyalty to the party, the Congress did not stand with him when he faced criticism over his action. Gamang was chief minister of Odisha for nine months in 1999 and has also been a former Union Minister. Meanwhile, the Congress said Gamang's defection from the party shows he was not secular for all these years.
