Shankersinh Vaghela attends Congress meeting

GANDHINAGAR: Shankersinh Vaghela, leader of opposition (LOP) in the state assembly surprised many by attending the meeting of state Congress MLAs called to endorse Meira Kumar as the party’s nominee for the post of President of India.

Vaghela’s show of strength on Saturday with his supporters and open criticism of Congress party and its high command had led many to speculate that he might drop attending party meetings.

However, on Monday, Vaghela maintained a unified front with Bharatsinh Solanki, Gujarat Congress president, in the matter of supporting Kumar.The meeting held at Gandhinagar circuit house had been called by Solanki to complete formalities and send in writing the support for Meira Kumar. Out of 57 sitting MLAs of Congress in Gujarat, around 35 turned up at the meeting, which needed the presence of minimum 20 MLAs.

After the meeting, Vaghela said, “We gathered here today to complete formalities of the support in writing by 20 MLAs in favour of Congress’s presidential nominee, Meira Kumar.” Avoiding any comment on his recent speech against workings of the Congress party, Vaghela said, “We will all go to Delhi on June 28 for further formalities and back Kumar.”

Solanki echoed Vaghela and said, “Bapu (Vaghela) and I will go to Delhi on June 28 along with other MLAs to support Meira Kumar’s nomination.’’Vaghela and Congress leaders are likely to meet party president Sonia Gandhi on June 28.

Will Vaghela face the axe?

Vaghela’s open criticism of Congress and its high command on Saturday hasn’t gone down well with many old-timers of Congress. Many of them have reportedly asked senior leaders of the party in Gujarat and Delhi to take disciplinary action against Vaghela for anti-party rhetoric. While addressing his supporters on Saturday, Vaghela, referring to preparations for upcoming assembly elections, had said that if Congress had decided to commit suicide he was not willing to fall with them.