New Delhi: Apparently causing discomfiture to the Congress, Gujarat CLP leader Shankersinh Vaghela, while giving his farewell speech in the state Assembly on Wednesday, sent out mixed messages of appreciation and jibes towards PM-elect Narendra Modi.
In his speech, Mr Vaghela said, “The BJP must work to build the Ram mandir. People voted for Narendra Modi with expectations. I hope that within the framework of the Constitution there is a Ram mandir in Ayodhya.”
Reminding Mr Modi, who was present in the House, that he will not be PM of the BJP but of the nation, Mr Vaghela lauded him for being solely responsible for his party’s landslide victory in the Lok Sabha election.
“In 1984 it was two, now it is 282, and the credit goes to Narendrabhai,” he said.
The Congress leader, who shares with Mr Modi his RSS background, went very close to referring to the Gujarat riots.
“Godhra has played important roles in the lives of two people from the state one of whom became Prime Ministers of India. You spent your life as a pracharak in Godhra and Vadodara and I would not wish to go into what happened in 2002.”
In lighter vein, Mr Vaghela said, “Mr Modi first asked for 60 days. Then he asked for 120 months, which is 10 years. Now don’t ask for 60 years give a good outcome in five years.”
Mr Vaghela had parted ways with BJP in 1996 to form his Rashtriya Janata Party and became CM before joining the Congress.
