New Delhi: Two days after the party was hit by cross-voting in favour of NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind in Gujarat, tremors continued rock the Congress with senior party leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela quitting the party on Friday.
While Mr Vaghela claimed that he was “expelled” from the party, the Congress refuted the charge saying that “no action was taken against him” and quitting the party was Mr Vaghela’s “own decision”.
Mr Vaghela, who turned 77 on Friday told the media in Gujarat; “Congress party ne mujhe 24 ghante pehle nikal diya yeh soch ke ki pata nahi main kya kehta; Vinaash kal vipreet buddhi (The Congress party sacked me 24 hours ago as they did not know what I was going to say at this rally. When one’s destruction is imminent, they begin to lose their mind).”
Mr Vaghela was apparently mounting pressure on the Congress to replace the current Gujarat state unit chief Bharat Sinh Solanki and project him as its Chief Ministerial candidate. The party had refused to do so. Congress spokesman Mr Randeep Surjewala while confirming Mr Vaghela’s attempts to replace the state unit chief, said, “A party is always bigger than individuals.”
Speaking at a celebration to mark his 77th birthday, Mr Vaghela alleged that there was a “conspiracy” to remove him from the Congress. While speculation was rife that Mr Vaghela was inching closer to the BJP, he claimed that he would “not join any political party, but work for the people of Gujarat”. He then added, “Today, I free myself from Congress and I set Congress free.”
There are rumours in the state that Mr Vagehla has been holding talks with NCP, JD(U) and Hardik Patel. The alliance, Mr Vaghela’s camp felt, could project him as the CM face. While the party continued to put up a brave front, sources said that Mr Vaghela’s move to quit could hit the party hard in Gujarat, which would heading for Assembly polls in December.
