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Failing to form new party, Shankarsinh Vaghela to support political outfit

Last Updated 19 September 2017, 10:16 IST

Rebel Congress leader and former Gujarat chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela on Tuesday announced support to a newly-formed political front in the state ‘Jan Vikalp Morcha’ for the forthcoming Assembly polls in the state.

Vaghela, who had in late 1990s through an experiment of a third political entity - Rashtriya Janata Party - failed to make any electoral dent in the state that witnesses straight fight between BJP and Congress, this time is treading cautiously. “Jan Vikalp is just a political front and not a political party,” Vaghela told mediapersons in Ahmedabad.

Jan Vikalp Morcha was formed by Parthesh Patel, advisor for online media to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in that past and to Shankarsinh Vaghela in the recent past announced formation of Jan Vikalp Morcha after recent Rajya Sabha polls. “We are planning for not just 2017 polls but beyond that too,” Patel had said earlier.

Vaghela, on Tuesday said that Jan Vikalp would have a positive approach and work as an “alternative force” to garner public anger against ruling BJP and “ineffective” Congress.

“It is a myth to say that an alternative political force cannot work in Gujarat. Through Jan Vikalp we will provide a platform to anyone willing to serve people. Those who want to benefit from people are not welcome,” Vaghela said.

“Even Aam Aadmi Party, NCP or JD(U) or anyone who is in sync with our ideology is welcome to join this third front. We will support them too.”

Vaghela went on to say that his political front would try to field candidates to all the 182 Assembly seats. “We would hold primaries and the candidates would be decided by the people themselves. No one needs to be approached for candidacy but people,” he said.

Vaghela, who has engineered rebellion in both BJP in late 1990s and recently in Congress, said that people in the state were fed up with both the parties and “desparate for change”.

Though Vaghela’s current move is seen to benefit BJP by eating in to votes of Opposition parties, sources say that his relationship with BJP has run into rough patch post loss of Balwantsinh Rajput - Congress rebel turned third BJP candidate in Rajya Sabha polls.

Vaghela, who had walked out of Congress in July along with 13 rebel legislators, said that none of the 10 rebel Congress legislators who have joined BJP would be part of Jan Vikalp.

“They (10 Congress rebels) have gone to BJP on their own volition. Mahendrasinh (Vaghela’s son) too is independent and you need to ask him about his leanings. As for me I am not joining any political party nor am I going to contest elections,” Vaghela said.

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(Published 19 September 2017, 10:16 IST)

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