Seven Gujarat Congress MLAs, who were expelled from the party after they had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election, resigned as legislators on Thursday night. “Seven Congress MLAs submitted their resignation to me at my residence,” Assembly Speaker Ramanlal Vora told PTI on Friday.

The seven MLAs include Raghavji Patel and Bholabhai Gohel, whose votes were invalidated by the Election Commission, Leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela’s (pictured above) son Mahendrasinh, Amit Chaudhaury, CK Raulji, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Karmasinh Patel. The Congress had sacked these seven MLAs and Shankarsinh Vaghela on August 9, a day after the Rajya Sabha election.

Mahendrasinh Vaghela said they would soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party. However, Mahendrasinh Vaghela said his father would not join the BJP.

MLAs Ramsinh Parmar, Chhanabhai Chaudhary and Mansinh Chauhan, who had resigned in July, will also switch sides. Three Congress MLAs - Balwantsinh Rajput, Tejashreeben Patel and Prahlad Patel - who had quit the party before the Rajya Sabha election had also joined the BJP soon after.