Veteran politician and Gujarat’s former chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela on Wednesday “expressed” his desire to go back to Congress with an aim to “defeat” the ruling BJP.
He said that he was “requested” by many Congress leaders who want him to come back in the party to defeat the BJP in the local body polls slated for later this month. The result is considered to be important for the 2022 Assembly polls.
The Congress, meanwhile, said that no one has requested Vaghela to join the party.
“We all are busy with the preparation of local polls,” said Congress’ spokesperson Manish Doshi, adding that if Vaghela wants to come back, the party will look into it before coming to a conclusion.
Vaghela reportedly orchestrated cross-voting of eight Congress MLAs during the Rajya Sabha polls in which Ahmed Patel had narrowly escaped a defeat.
The 80-year-old politician had left Congress in mid-2017 to float his own party “Jan Vikalp Morcha” but failed to make a mark. He joined NCP and in 2019 he joined NCP only to leave it a year later.
Congress was last in power in Gujarat when Vaghela broke away with the BJP and joined hands with Congress to form the government in 1995-1996 which didn’t last long.
Published 03 February 2021, 21:41 IST