Gandhinagar: ‘Poor choice’ of candidates for two seats of Rajya Sabha by Congress president Rahul Gandhi has triggered disappointment in party cadres in Gujarat.

The Congress party last evening announced the names of former minister of state in centre Naran Rathwa and former state Congress spokesperson Amiben Yagnik as its candidates for two winnable seats of Rajya Sabha in Gujarat.

Congress leaders and cadres in Gujarat were surprised with this announcement as both names were unexpected for them. Party men pointed out that Naran Rathwa had lost Lok Sabha election and his wife and son had recently lost local civic body ward election in Chhota Udepur. How he They also pointed out that Amiben Yagnik was just another state party spokesperson appearing in TV debate and had no ground connect.

In a first major reaction to ‘poor choice’ of candidates, State Congress women’s wing president Sonalben Patel announced her resignation from the post.

She said, ‘I have nothing personal against Amiben, but High Command often gives assurance that ‘parachute candidates’ will not be fielded in elections. However contrary to this promise, those working in organization are ignored. This happened also in assembly elections. Such decisions affect morale of cadre adversely. I have received numerous phone calls from women’s Congress members. They are shaken with this decision. They have conveyed me that they are going to resign. When they wish to resign, I also can’t stay on this position and I am in process to send my resignation.’

It should be mentioned here that scores of Congress leaders in Gujarat were trying their luck to get Rajya Sabha nomination. Prominent names in discussion for nomination in media were Deepak Babariya and Sam Pitroda. Some of those whose attempts to get nomination went public were PK Valera and Kuldeep Sharma. The sole decision maker was only Rahul Gandhi, the president of Congress party.

DeshGujarat