Cong unlikely to change Gujarat chief despite Vaghela’s departure

GUJARAT CONG LEADERS ASSURED RAHUL THAT VAGHELA’S EXIT WILL HAVE NO BEARING ON PARTY’S PERFORMANCE IN THE UPCOMING POLLS

The Congress is unlikely to change its Gujarat chief Bharatsinh Solanki despite the brewing rebellion in the organisation led by senior leader Shankersinh Vaghela who quit the party on Friday.

A meeting called by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the impact of Vaghela’s exit on the party in the upcoming assembly elections in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah decided that Solanki will continue on his post.

For their part, Gujarat Congress leaders assured Gandhi that Vaghela’s resignation will have no bearing on the party’s performance in the NovemberDecember polls.

Out of power for the past 22 years, the Congress is desperately seeking to regain power in Gujarat where Chhabildas Mehta was its last chief minister from 1994-1995. From 1998, the BJP has been in power in the state for the past 19 years, of which Prime Minister Modi ruled for 12.

A section in the Gujarat Congress, led by Vaghela, had raised a banner of revolt against Solanki over his “style of functioning” and demanded his immediate removal for the post.

But the party decided not to succumb to “such pressure tactics” and put up a united front to oust the BJP.

There were indications that the Congress might try to pacify Vaghela after party general secretary Ashok Gehlot’s tweet, “The Congress party hopes that any misunderstanding he has will be resolved.”

At the meeting, Congress leaders also sounded confident of winning one seat in the August 8 Rajya Sabha polls. Three Rajya Sabha seats fall vacant in August and the Congress expects to win one, provided it can keep its flock together. The BJP is comfortably placed on the other two seats.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel is likely to be re-nominated. If elected, it will be his fifth term in the Upper House.

The party needs 47 votes to win the seat and it has 57 legislators in the 182-member assembly. However, the cause of worry for the Congress leadership is the crossvoting by about 11 legislators in favour of NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind in the July 17 presidential elections.