Ahmedabad, 21 March 2014

Maldhari community is today holding a grand-gathering in Ahmedabad to give ultimatam to Congress party over ticket allotment.

The meeting is being held after denial of ticket to Maldhari community members on north Gujarat’s Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat.

According to former general secretary of Gujarat Congress Shri Raghu Desai, the state unit of party had empaneled three names for candidature on Banaskantha seat. They were Sagar Rayka, Govabhai Desai and Raghu Desai.

Raghubhai said party leaders told him over a phone call that out of these three, his choice was made by party as Sagarbhai and Govabhai were not as per party’s criteria.

Raghubhai said he had started preparing to contest from Banaskantha after this phone call, but later the ticket was given to Dhanera MLA Joitabhai Patel.

Today’s meeting of Maldhari community is held to pass two motions: (1) no support to Congress candidate Joitabhai on Banaskantha seat, (2) One ticket to Maldhari community member and announcement in this regard in next 48 hours.

Meanwhile Congress’s women members today asked state party president Arjun Modhwadia that contrary to Rahul Gandhi’s statement, forget 50%, the party has not given even 15% tickets to women candidates.

In another development, more than 25 Dalit office bearers of Congress party have submitted their resignations against party’s decision to field someone rom Jamnagar on Kutch seat. Part has chosen Dr. Dinesh Parmar as candidate for Kutch seat which is reserved for Schedule Caste candidate.

District panchayat member Naran Sondhra, Panchayat cell’s Naresh Maheshwari, general secretary Khimji Tharu, Councillor Champaben Tharu, Malshi Matang, office bearers Govind Keniya, Mavji Maheshwari, Vershi Maheshwari, Lakshmichand Fafal, Premji Dafda, Mayabhai Tharu, Dhiraj Rupani Dhanjibhai Fafal etc are among these 25 office bearers.

Congress is also facing oppose against declared candidate of Ahmedabad(West) seat which is reserved for Schedule Caste.