Gujarat BJP leader Purnesh Modi, defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi, appointed key post

Purnesh Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Surat West MLA and the individual who filed a criminal defamation case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has been appointed as the party's in-charge for political affairs in Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu.

The 58-year-old three-time MLA, known for representing the OBC community in South Gujarat, secured victory in the Surat West seat with a significant margin of over 1 lakh votes in the recent 2022 elections. Purnesh Modi's appointment to a key post comes after he filed a defamation case against Rahul Gandhi for his remarks questioning the prevalence of the Modi surname among thieves during a rally in Karnataka's Kollar in April 2019.

In a notification, the BJP stated that its national president, JP Nadda, appointed Purnesh Modi as the in-charge for Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu with immediate effect. This move underscores Modi's growing prominence within the party, especially in South Gujarat. The criminal defamation case, initiated by Modi against Rahul Gandhi, led to the latter's disqualification as an MP from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in March, following a two-year jail sentence.

However, the Supreme Court stayed Gandhi's conviction in August, reinstating his Lok Sabha membership. Despite the legal developments, Rahul Gandhi has consistently refused to apologize for his Modi surname remark, maintaining his innocence in the criminal defamation case.