Gandhinagar: Sulking Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela today addressing his around 1500 supporters at Civil hospital auditorium in Gandhinagar alleged that he had never done any anti-party activity in Congress since 1998 when he joined it, but those who worked against Congress are sitting on positions.

‘I believe one should be loyal to his party and he should worry about how to get majority. Here are many Congress workers present in this auditorium, they are witness, I have never asked even one party worker to do something which is against the interest of Congress party. I have not been into even slightest anti-party activity since 1998 but I can show many party leaders who worked against party and held positions.’

‘I was BJP candidate in Godhra. My own partymen worked against me and I lost the election by a small margin. Later I contested from Godhra from Congress and I faced same. My own party people worked for my defeat.However when it was their turn, I didn’t do the same. My conscious refused to do so and pay them back.’

‘The atmosphere for Congress is good this time and there’s an opportunity to achieve majority due to Patidar community, Dalits and OBC. When you are going to appear in exam, you can’t prepare for easy question paper. If it’s easy, that’s good, but you need to prepare for tough question paper. There’s election in 2017. This is my last politics. At such time I am for last one year pressing for something based on my experiences of 2002, 2007 and 2012. We can’t win election the way we are working at present. And you can’t get someone like me for election strategy in Gujarat politics.’

‘Congress party might have made someone a general secretary or president, but if you tie our hands and legs and throw us in water to swim then we can’t swim. Those who don’t know whom should be selected to contest the election……. In 2012 as many as 28 candidates were selected on last moment. Someone’s wife called me and requested that Gandhinagar seat should be left for Brahmin and I should contest from elsewhere. Kapadvanj was not my original choice to contest. I shifted to Kapadvanj as I have soft corner for Brahmins. When I was filing nomination for Kapadvanj assembly seat I received a phone call asking how if we select Sureshbhai for Gandhinagar seat! Sureshbhai was actually a sitting MLA from Talod. He was fielded in Gandhinagar at last moment and Nishith Vyas who was ready with garlend and waiting for party mandate to contest from Gandhinagar didn’t get call. Same happened at 28 places. Himmatsinh was to contest from Bapunagar, but Dhirubhai Dhudhwala was asked to file nomination. I can’t understand how party is run! Whoever is high command. At the last moment they ruin the things. You just don’t know how to contest electio. You get defeat due to your own wrong decisions. Congress won 65 seats and was short of oxactly 28 seats. I am shouting for last one year. The election can possibly come earlier, but not later than December 2017. I am not into race for the post of Chief Minister. I just say that first get majority and then whatever you want to do you can do. I have enjoyed the post of Chief Minister. The problem is, Congress homework continues till last moment of election. For last three-four years, positions in taluka and major cities are vacant. Somewhere collection is going on. It makes me sad.’

‘Then recently I heard 57 Congress MLAs are to be repeated as candidate this year. What I felt was that they should first ask the MLAs whether they want to contest again or not. Ask me whether I wish to contest again! The decision should be taken in consultation with MLAs.’

‘There were posters put up in the city of Vadodara conveying that whether BJP or Congress, Bapu will be the Chief Minister. When I called city police commissioner requesting probe into this, he told me that the police dogs traced its origin to local Congress office. I don’t want to expose the mud lying inside.’

‘My name was not there mentioned in the representation which was to be submitted to Governor by the party. I complained Rahul Gandhi regarding this. I told him that these all (Congress leaders in Gujarat) wants to kick me out of the party. Rahul Gandhi said I was correct. They wanted me to kick out to make a way for someone else. I said I am ready to vacate the place for others.’

‘There was a news that several MLAs would leave party, there were news that my MLA son Mahendrasinh would contest Rajya Sabha! Why Mahendrasinh? I am there to contest(with smile)!’

‘Ahmedbhai told me to contest Rajya Sabha. I replied him that he only should be the candidate from Gujarat’.

‘Rahul Gandhi will be back (from a trip abroad) most probably on 30th. I will meet him after that. I will also visit Delhi for nomination of presidential candidate(of Congress party) prior to that. Whatever are the opinions and suggestions of my supporters expressed here will be noted and I will put them before Rahul Gandhi.’

DeshGujarat