Former Gujarat CM Shankersinh Vaghela in talks with Congress to return to party

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela is holding advanced talks with party leaders to rejoin the Congress nearly ten years after quitting. Vaghela stated that he is ready to join the party to remove the BJP government in the state. He added that his return will happen only after he meets Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Talks and Elections

Vaghela has already discussed the matter with AICC general secretary in-charge of Gujarat Randeep Singh Surjewala, Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda, and former Union Minister Bharatsinh Solanki. This political move comes ahead of the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections next month and the Assembly elections scheduled for December next year. The 86-year-old leader stated that he is not expecting anything from the party and only wants to give back. He views the 2027 election as his final chance to make a political impact and plans to start an aggressive campaign on October 2 for the Praja Shakti Democratic Party, which he founded in 2020.

Party Reactions

Congress opinions are divided regarding Vaghela. While Chavda noted that several dissatisfied leaders will soon work with the party, and spokesperson Manish Doshi stated that the party welcomes all like-minded people, a section of leaders remains cautious because of his exit in 2017. Vaghela left the party on his 77th birthday, just weeks before a tight Rajya Sabha election won by Ahmed Patel, and four days after questions arose about MLAs cross-voting in the Presidential election. Solanki, who is currently working for his return, stated that his aim is to defeat the BJP in Gujarat.

Context

Shankersinh Vaghela has a long history in state politics, having broken away from the BJP in the 1990s to form a government backed by the Congress before eventually merging his party into it. The Congress party in Gujarat has seen its numbers drop significantly over the years, holding only 12 seats in the current 182-member Assembly. Major political parties often reconsider former leaders when trying to rebuild their ground support ahead of upcoming local and state elections.