A Congress MLA from Gujarat's Talala seat has resigned ahead of the legislative elections.

Bhagabhai Barad, a senior MLA from Talala in Junagadh district, has resigned from all of his Indian National Congress (INC) positions and presented his resignation to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Dr Nimaben Acharya.

The lawmaker is expected to join the BJP as the party seeks to gain control of the Junagadh district. Barad is the state's 18th MLA to defect from the Congress since 2017.

The Gujarat Assembly election timetable....