Jhagadia (Gujarat): Even though Bihar CM and JD-U leader Nitish Kumar dared to buy the ‘displeasure’ of sorts of his coalition partners including Lalu Prasad of RJD for his open support to NDA presidential candidate Ramnath Kovind, the sole MLA of his party in Gujarat assembly and its state president, Chhotubhai Vasava today not only boycotted the presidential election but also put forth a ‘strange’ reason for it.

Vasava did not even come to Gandhinagar where the voting took place. He remained at his residence in his constituency Jhagadia in Bharuch district.

He told newsmen he consciously chose to not to vote.

But the reason he put forth was sort of bizarre. ” I am a tribal leader who cares for tribal issues. The schedule 5 and 6 of the Indian constitution which deals with the effective administration of tribal dominant areas has not been implemented in the state in letter and spirit,’ he said which so far sound okay but he then added, ”As the president is the guardian for implementation of the provisions of these schedules and despite my several representation the needful has not been done I have chose to boycott the president’s election.”

When asked that despite the claims of raising the issue for last 20 years with various presidents, why did he vote in such election in the past, his close aide and the JD-U state general secretary Ambalal Jadav could only say that Chhotubhai felt that voting for Presidents was of no use as they have so far not been able to resolve the tribal issues raised by him in Gujarat.

DeshGujarat