I am the captain of Gujarat Congress: Shankersinh Vaghela

The crisis-ridden Congress was put a tight spot on Wednesday when former Union minister and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela declared himself as a the “captain of Gujarat Congress.”

Vaghela was addressing an election rally in Viramgam town. He made these remarks while referring to Gujarat BJP’s advertising campaign portraying chief minister Narendra Modi as a strong captain. The advertisements also scoff at Congress for lacking able leadership.

When contacted, Vaghela confirmed that he made the statement.

BJP has been attacking the Congress for not announcing its chief ministerial candidate so far.

Shankersinh Vaghela to contest from Kapadvanj seat

Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela will contest from Congress party on central Gujarat’s Kapadvanj seat.

Kapandvanj seat is in news today due to revolt in BJP.

BJP had fielded former minister of state Bimal Shah in 2007 on Kapadvanj seat, however Shah couldn’t win.

This time, BJP has given ticket to one Kanu Dabhi.

Disappointment with this, Bimal Shah has left the party. Shah is joining Keshubhai Patel-led Gujarat Parivartan Party(GPP) on Friday.Bimal Shah was minister of state in Keshubhai Patel government. His image was not clean however and was considered a corrupt minister.

He was considered as Keshubhai loyalist who later joined Modi’s camp.

Shah had worked hard for party’s victory in Kathlal by-poll.

Shah is likely to contest from Kapadvanj, and he may eat good share of BJP’s votes there which would give direct benefit to Shankersinh Vaghela.

Vaghela was MP from Kapadvanj Lok Sabha seat in 2004. The seat ceased to exist in 2009 due to new delimitation.

After Modi, now Vaghela sets his date for Diwali on December 20

Expressing confidence that the Congress would win the coming Assembly elections, party leader Shankersinh Vaghela on Friday said they will celebrate Diwali on December 20, when poll results are to be declared. This comes a couple of days after Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that he would celebrate a “bigger Diwali” on December 20.

“I am 100% sure that we will celebrate Diwali on December 20. I am saying this with more confidence that I’ve ever said before,” he told a public rally attended by top Congress leaders like state unit president Arjun Modhwadia and MP Bharatsinh Solanki.

“Lakhs of women, fed up with the 17-years of BJP rule, told me that the present government was doing nothing… In an hour, 30-40 lakh urban women across Vadodara cities and towns lined up at Congress offices for forms for affordable houses (ghar nu ghar). They have the faith in Congress that the party would get them home,” Vaghela said.

He further said that lakhs of government employees, “also fed up with the government “which has denied them proper salary”, are with Congress. “Let me tell you, Gujarat is not entirely in the hand of BJP… Congress has promised to assist government employees… and they are with us. Of the four crore voters in Gujarat, two-and-half crore will come to Congress,” he said.

Modhwadia pokes Modi on wife

Referring to Modi’s “Rs 50-crore girlfriend” remark about Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda, Modhwadia said the CM should refrain from making personal comments. “… talk about issues of Gujarat and do not indulge in making comments on personal life of others.”

“Why does Modi not fill up the column on marital status in his election forms? Modi had married one Yasodaben, and nobody knows whether he has divorced her,” he said, adding that the CM must clarify his status regarding his marriage.

Vaghela appeals students, teachers to oust Modi govt

Gujarat Congress leader and chairperson of its Campaign Committee for the upcoming Assembly elections, Shankarsinh Vaghela, on Sunday appealed the professors, teachers, students and college and school administrators to bring in a “revolution” by ousting the present BJP government and its anti-education policies in the state. Vaghela addressed a gathering of educators and students at Congress Bhavan in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

The gathering was attended by hundreds of college students and professors along with some senior syndicate members of Gujarat University including senior Congress leader Narhari Amin.

Speaking on the occasion, Vaghela said the teachers’ community was not supposed to indulge into party politics. However, it was equally supposed to stop somebody who was doing wrong, he added. He said, “If you believe that in the past 10-12 years, the present government has done disservice to the education, then you must work to oust the BJP government.”

Giving examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and the freedom struggle, Vaghela said now teachers were required to spread the message of the wrong doings of the present government among people and to bring in revolution in the state. He appealed the professors and students to work tirelessly in this direction till December 20 when the election results would be announced.

Amin also addressed the gathering and said like in university syndicate elections, the educators and students are required to bring in Congress in power during the Assembly elections. He assured the injustice and harassment that the professors and students have suffered at the hands of the BJP government will not be repeated during Congress rule.