GANDHINAGAR:
Shankersinh Vaghela on Friday
left the Congress but did not clarify whether he was going to join the BJP or float some party. However, he clearly hinted that he was not retiring from politics.
Vaghela cleverly avoided revealing his future plans. Since the beginning of his six-decade-long political career, Vaghela has been into five different political entities. There is speculation that now he may launch a sixth outfit.
Vaghela may organise Jan Chetna Sabha after August 15 for a show of strength. Here are some of the options before Vaghela:
Read this story in Gujarati OPTIONS BEFORE VAGHELA1. LAUNCH NEW FORUM : According to sources, he may float a new political or semi-political forum. This could emerge as a key political force in the 2017 elections, the sources claimed. The forum may have as members old associates from
Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP). If it is a semipolitical forum, it could attracts dissidents from the Congress and the BJP as well as some from the NCP and JD(U) in the upcoming elections. Sources said that the presence of Gujarat NCP president
Jayant Patel
(Boski) indicates in this direction.
2. ALIGN WITH BJP: There is speculation that Vaghela may be offered governorship of some major state, possibly Bihar, and many of his key men will be adjusted in the BJP, including his MLA son,
Mahendrasinh Vaghela
.
3. CONTEST FOR RS WITH BJP SUPPORT: Vaghela may opt for Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate if the BJP promises support of its MLAs. If the BJP and the Congress MLAs who cross-voted in the president election, vote for Vaghela he can win the elections. Elections to the Rajya Sabha seats are to be held on August 8.
AHMED PATEL'S RS SEAT UNDER THREAT : A senior Congress leader said that now it's clear that Vaghela and his supporter MLAs who had cross-voted in the presidential election, may try to scuttle Ahmed Patel's reelection to the Rajya Sabha.
WHO WILL BE NEXT LOP? : The Congress also informally discussed names of party MLAs who could succeed Vaghela as leader of opposition in the state assembly. Paresh Dhanani (Patel leader), Shailesh Parmar (Dalit leader) and Anil Joshiyara (tribal leader) are doing the rounds as the next leader of opposition.
SHAH'S PLAN FAILED, SAYS SOLANKI: Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Bharatsinh Solanki said that what Vaghela had done was his personal decision. “Amit Shah tried his best to split our MLAs but no one, except Vaghela's son and Raghavji Patel, turned up,“ he said.
GUJARAT CONGRESSMEN MAY MEET SONIA, RAHUL : Soon after Vaghela's exit, Gujarat Congress leaders were summoned to Delhi by Sonia Gandhi and
Rahul Gandhi on Saturday.