The troubles of different kinds, shapes, and sizes do not seem to be stopping for beleaguered Congress. Just when Gujarat Congress was trying to overcome the embarrassment of not having chief of it’s Gujarat unit for a prolonged period by selecting one, an embarrassment of another kind has knocked it’s door. Manibhai J Vaghela, Ex-MLA from Gujarat’s Vadgam constituency has resigned from Congress.
Manibhai as he rightly claimed in his letter to Sona Gandhi, had defeated the sitting Minister and a senior BJP leader Fakirbhai Vaghela by 21839 votes in 2012 assembly election. However, his claim to fame is to have vacated the seat for Congress’ new ally Jignesh Mevani who eventually made it to the Vidhan Sabha.
Manibhai reminds the High Command that during the Rajya Sabha elections, despite inducement from the ruling party in 2017, when 14 MLAs had switched sides, he did not defect. Manibhai Vaghela in his letter has made veiled attacks on Jignesh Mevani, saying he is also equally capable of raising issues concerning Dalits. Manibhai Vaghela rued in his resignation letter that the party is encouraging leaders who give ‘inflammatory speeches” at the cost of senior loyal old-timers. Manibhai Vaghela marked a copy of his letter to Amit Chavda, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee, and Paresh Dhanani, Leader of Opposition, Gujarat Assembly by saying his self-respect is compromised.
The development, indicating the rift between Jignesh Mevani and Manibhai Vaghela and contains more than what meets the eye because the resignation letter criticises Rahul Gandhi in no uncertain terms citing ” the incompetence and immaturity of the former President of Indian National Congress.”
