In the elections to Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) in April 2011, Congress had won 18 seats while BJP had got 15, out of the total 33 seats.
"We are in majority now....We have wrested it (GMC) from Congress with the joining of the Mayor and two other councillors," BJP spokesperson I K Jadeja claimed.
However, Congress said BJP would not get power in GMC as anti-defection law will kick in. The two councillors who joined BJP with Rana were Hansaben Modi and Subash Pandur.
"I have joined BJP as I am impressed by development work in the state under Chief Minister Narendra Modi," Rana said. "I left Congress as our repeated request to party central leadership to include Gandhinagar in Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission was not considered."
Recently, Rana had written to Congress state leadership that nomination for Gandhinagar assembly seat should be given to a local candidate and not an "outsider". Congress is yet to declare candidates for assembly elections of December.
Asked if anti-defection law will apply, Rana evaded the query, saying he had joined BJP to work for the party.
Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi, however said, "anti-defection law will apply to all three...As they were elected on the symbol of Congress party. Our total strength is 18, one third of it comes to six. As they are just three, they will have to resign. It is a myth that BJP has gained control of Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation."
