Ahmedabad, 4 September, 2011

Former Gujarat Chief Minister and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela today in a TV interview promised cheaper petrol, stringent law for bovine protection, clearing backlog of pending power connection for farmers if Congress comes to power in 2012 Gujarat assembly election.

In a talk with Etv Gujarati, Shri Vaghela said, “we have already started homework for selecting Congress candidates and manifesto for 2012 Gujarat assembly election. We are planing to declare a list of candidates and manifesto in advance.”

Vaghela further said, “while releasing our manifesto in advance, we don’t fear that government would pick some points from that document to implement them before the election. We would welcome if government do so. We would then say that why they didn’t do it during earlier years of their regime. We will take credit.”

Giving example of what his party intends to promise, Vaghela said: “we would provide cheaper petrol in Gujarat by removing VAT on petrol. Common man should be given relief from VAT on Petrol, instead we should add burden to rich industrialists. ”

“Similarly we will bring stringent law for cow/buffalo protection. Any vehicle and person involved in bovine trafficking meant for slaughter will stay in jail for a year and his vehicle used in illegal trafficking will also remain seized for a year long time,” Vaghela said.

Vaghela added that backlog of four lakh pending applications for new power connection in the state in farm sector would be cleared if Congress comes to power.

Vaghela said as per his estimate, state assembly election could come six-month before schedule. He said he would start election campaign well in advance on the first day of Navratri from Kutch’s ‘Mata no madh’ after performing puja at goddess Ashapura’s mandir there. He said he would later address a public rally at Bhuj, the headquarter of Kutch district.

Vaghela in his interview couldn’t stop saying ‘he’ would do this and would do that if Congress comes to power. This indicated that he is ambitious to become Chief Minister if Congress comes to power.

When asked about his retirement plan, Vaghela said, he would retire only after removal of BJP from power in Gujarat, if people wish for that.