He is underground, but spending Rs 80 could have made him a minister today

Ahmedabad, 28 October 2012

One sad man in Gujarat today could be Porbandar Congress MP Vitthal Radadia.

Hailing from politically important Leuva Patel community of Saurashtra, Radadia was sure to get berth in union ministry in the latest reshuffle ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls, but he missed the bus due to an incident of weapon brandishing at toll booth in central Gujarat.

The worst was the video clips captured by CCTV camera on tool booth which attracted attention of visual-crazy national news TV channels, and over the top was this DeshGujarat story that threw light over MP’s past criminal record.

As toll booth operators filed case against Radadia, he applied for anticipatory bail which was denied as the court took cognizance of his past criminal record. Radadia has challenged the decision in the High Court, where hearing is pending at present.

To rescue himself from arrest, Radadia has gone underground at present, and officially he is not available in public.

If Radadia could control his anger at toll booth and could simply pay Rs 80 at toll tax booth, today he could have been celebrating his ministerial berth in New Delhi.

Gujarat Congress has now internally passed a message that two Gujarat MPs who perform best in Gujarat elections are to be made ministers in future. Radadia is not barred. If Shashi Tharoor can return, Radadia too in future. But for now the toll booth incident has halted his upward political journey.