Gujarat: Ex-CM Shankersinh Vaghela meets state Congress leaders to discuss alliance

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela is in talks for an alliance with the party. Vaghela, who had quit the Congress ahead of the 2017 Rajya Sabha elections, has met with several state leaders of the Congress party to speak about the impending decision of his alliance with the Congress party. However, the party leaders are waiting to take a decision after discussing it with the party high command.

Following meetings with ex-CM Shankersinh Vaghela, Gujarat Congress leaders have stated that they will be speaking to the high command regarding the decision to form an alliance with the ex-party leader. According to the state leadership, several issues were to be discussed before Vaghela could formally join the party.

Shankersinh Vaghela in talks with Gujarat Congress

Earlier, Shankersinh Vaghela had been in touch with Bharatsinh Solanki. He had reportedly stated his willingness to meet party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to join hands. However, Solanki has now taken a break from politics. It is also pertinent to note that the former CM also attended the G23 meeting in Delhi and voiced concerns over a ‘lack of proper leadership' at the state level.

Vaghela is now in talks with other leaders of the Gujarat Congress. Vaghela had quit the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after he was removed as its Gujarat unit president last year after the Rajya Sabha elections and has been running an organisation called the Praja Shakti Morcha. 

Meanwhile, Vaghela is also in touch with several MLAs of the BJP, who had quit Congress and jumped ships after his resignation from the party. He has stated that he will bring the MLAs back to Congress if he is let back into the party.

Hardik Patel joins BJP

This comes after Patidar leader Hardik Patel quit Congress and joined the BJP on June 2. He joined the BJP in the presence of party state chief CR Patil at the party head office in Gandhinagar. Hailing the works of PM Narendra Modi toward the country's development, Hardik Patel stated that he is a 'small soldier' set to serve the nation under PM Modi's leadership. 

Earlier, Patel had handed in his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi accusing the party of being “a roadblock” on key issues.

Image: PTI