Vaghela’s hard hitting remarks dominate Gujarat Congress’s get together

Gandhinagar, 2 November, 2011

Former Gujarat Chief Minster and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela’s address at Gujarat Congress’s post-Diwali get-together event was the most discussed political affair today among Gujarat’s political circles.

Vaghela said, “next assembly election will arrive before next Diwali, and we just have time to finalize the things by June.”

In presence of Gujarat Congress President Arjun Modhwadia and leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil, Vaghela said “you two leaders(Shaktisinh and Modhwadia) should go and stay in Delhi and finalize all the things and come back.” Vaghela added that by February 2012, party’s manifesto for Gujarat assembly election should be out.

He said just anti-Modi statements would not work. “We would have to say what we are going to do if we come to power.We don’t want to do negative propaganda. People know this government is not good, but our partymen don’t know. We should make it public that what we are intended to do for the issues of Gujarat.”

In presence of south Gujarat based central minister Tushar Chaudhary, Shankersinh said:”Congress workers had poor show in Navsari when they sat on counter-fast against Modi’s Sadbhavana fast. The party leaders in Navsari took the programme of counter-fast too lightly. We have passed 15 years in such attitude of taking things lightly. How many more years we are still going to spend in such a way?”

He added that Modi’s Sadbhavana dramas will continue in more districts in coming days, and such events should be fought with presence of 10-15,000 Congress workers at counter-fast venues.

Vaghela emphasized on team-Congress approach and said, “not all this thousand workers present here are going to fight an assembly election. “There are only 182 seats and therefore there will be only 182 candidates, all other party members will have to work unitedly for victory of 182 with team Congress approach, otherwise the party has stayed without power for 15 years, and more years will pass without power.”

Modi in presence of couple of top Gujarat Congress leaders known as champions of statements, Vaghela in his iconic style said, “we don’t need leaders who deliver statements only regularly. They should sit at home. We need team Congress today.”

Vaghela asked party workers whether they knew about state government’s latest power tariff hike in farm sector.Vaghela added that if they(the party workers)knew and they were not doing anything, then they were like dead bodies. “If you know about power tariff hike why are you idle and whom are you waiting for? Go on roads in rallies and start agitation.”

Vaghela told party workers that the process of selecting the candidates for Gujarat assembly poll should begin now at district level. “District party workers should now start discussing possible candidates. State party leaders have no time to read long long detailed bio-data of those wanting to be candidate.”

Vaghela also said that due to new delimitation the game has changed. Therefore there will be many new candidates. Present sitting MLAs should not think that only they are there to fight assembly election next year.

Vaghela said there are 70 urban area seats. “Start evening meets in each city. Start organizing youth rallies and rallies of unemployed.First our party workers are to be convinced that this government has to be changed. If our workers don’t determine, no result is expected. All will have to decide that if party lives, everything will come on their way. Getting ticket is not important, but the party should win.”

Vaghela’s speech attracted applause from those present in this get together. However not all were happy with Vaghela’s visible domination.

While Gujarat Congress President Arjun Modhwadia delivered routine speech, central ministers Bharatsinh Solanki and Tushar Chaudhary too delivered obvious speeches. Shaktisinh Gohil’s speech was token and short. Bapu’s speech was discussed lot after the event.