Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in the state Assembly, Shankersinh Vaghela, has decided to go in for a referendum to decide the future course of action.
Vaghela will seek the views of supporters at a convention in Gandhinagar on June 24. However, the senior leader has excluded fellow MLAs from this event. He also made it clear he is not quitting the party. Making the announcement at a media conference on Tuesday, he said, “I am very much in the Congress and neither am I going to join any other party nor will I form a separate forum. I am going to seek the opinion of my supporters on June 24. On that day, I will go to seek blessings from Lord Jagannath, a day before rathyatra, and will meet my supporters and workers to know their opinion.”
“This will be an open forum and anyone can walk in and meet me to express his/her feelings. I have deliberately excluded MLAs as I wish to know what workers at the base level think of me. Nearly 2,000 people are expected at Gandhinagar Civil Hospital convention hall,” added the former state CM.
Vaghela began his speech tracing his political journey right from his Jan Sangh days to the BJP, Rashtriya Janata Party (which he had formed after defecting from BJP) and then Congress. He praised leaders of both the BJP and Congress for their support to him.
Show of strength to show party?
Though Vaghela claims it will be a convention of around 2,000 party workers, but leaders and MLAs aligned with him have launched efforts to bring as many workers to the venue as possible. It is being viewed more as a show of strength by the party heavyweight to exhibit his strength to the Congress high command and, perhaps, bring pressure on them.
Reiterates demand to announce candidates
At the media meet, Vaghela said he firmly believed the party should announce its list of candidates soon for the assembly polls. He explained this saying once a candidate knew he/she was picked, he/she could start preparations and start campaigning well in advance and also connect with the voters. Vaghela also criticised Congress’ style of announcing list of candidates at the 11th hour, saying this hampered effective campaigning.
Vaghela miffed with colleagues
Hinting at some colleagues in the state Congress, most likely party chief Bharatsinh Solanki, Vaghela said some people had caused great damage to the party with their acts in the past. Vaghela clarified he had never expected power, but some people within the party and some mediapersons were trying to prove he would leave the Congress as he was keen on becoming CM.
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