Vaghela grabs attention for absence in Modhwadia’s installation

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela today remained physically absent in a function of Arjun Modhwadia’s installation ceremony. Modhwadia today took charge as new President of Gujarat Congress in a public function in Ahmedabad in presence of all other major leaders of Gujarat Congress barring Vaghela. Vaghela was in centre of discussion throughout the function for his absence. However the issue was sorted out in later stage of the function by relaying Vaghela’s audio message on mike.

The installation ceremony function of Modhwadia was held outside the Gujarat Congress headquarter at 11.30 am. The function and its timing was fixed before three-four days, and it was announced that all major leaders of Gujarat Congress would remain present.

However there was a question mark over whether Shankarsinh Vaghela would attend the function or not. Congress leaders continued to convince the media that Bapu would attend the function. However Bapu didn’t arrive.

At about 12.30 one of the leaders on stage told the workers that Shankarsinh Vaghela was on the way to the function and before that he would tell something on the phone. However when a phone was put on the mike, there was no voice.

Later leader of the opposition Shaktisinh Vaghela during his speech clarified that actually there was some problem in our party worker’s phone instrument due to which Vaghela was not audible. Shaktisinh said he recently talked with Vaghela and Vaghela told him that due to his prior commitment to other function he was in Rajkot attending some function of Jain community.

All Congress leaders got great relief when finally after Shaktisinh Gohil’s speech, Shri Vaghela came to phone and addressed the function over a mike. Vaghela declared his support to Arjun Modhwadia and added that his absence should not be misinterpreted.

It is interesting to note that Vaghela was one of the contestants for Gujarat Congress President’s post. However he had put two conditions to accept this post: (1) There would be no interfere in his work by anybody(including Delhi based powerful Gujarat politician Ahmed Patel), and (2) Sonia Gandhi would have to ask all fractions and groups of Gujarat Congress to walk unitedly under his leadership in the state.

When after long delay, the central leadership(aka Ahmed Patel) selected Modhwadia over Vaghela for President’s post, there was great amount of curiosity over Vaghela’s possible reaction. Vaghela’s physical absence today gives some indication of his displeasure, also perhaps due to reason that he has been also deprived of any post in recently announced central team of the party. According to sources, Vaghela’s phone call address was not voluntary, but he was asked to do that to give an impression that Gujarat Congress is united.