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“Congress received official proposals from BJP dissidents”

Special Correspondent

Body formed to interact with BJP dissidents, work out formula

“Shortly, you’ll hear what action will be taken” against dissidents: Venkaiah Naidu
State divided on communal lines, anti-incumbency factor has set in: Shankersinh Vaghela

NEW DELHI: The Congress Party has said it had received “official proposals” from the Bharatiya Janata Party dissidents in Gujarat, including the former Chief Minister, Suresh Mehta, for joining the party on the eve of Assembly elections.

“The party has formed a committee that would interact with the local Congress leaders and the dissidents and work out a formula,” said Union Textiles Minister and Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela.

Separately, Congress general secretary in-charge of Gujarat, B.K. Hariprasad said a panel had been formed under Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki which would meet in the next two days “to take a decision.”

When asked about the move of the dissidents, BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said: “Shortly, you’ll hear what action will be taken.”

Addressing a ‘Meet the Press’ organised by the Press Club of India, Mr. Vaghela said the former Chief Minister, Keshubhai Patel, was not amongst the dissidents who had sent the formal proposal. “Mr. Keshubhai will remain with the BJP.”

Promising to give Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi a run for his money in the elections, Mr. Vaghela felt the elections could have been held on a single day instead of in two phases. “Gujarat is not a State where you have booth-capturing and such things.”

He, however, launched a scathing attack on the Modi government saying that the State had been divided on communal lines and there was anti-incumbency factor. The Gujarat BJP was riddled with differences. “The Congress is a secular party and with its slogan of peace, development and security, I am hopeful of a majority for the Congress in Gujarat.”

Asked if the party would go to polls in alliance with any of the United Progressive Alliance partners, he said there could be local coalitions depending upon the “winnability” of the candidates.

On the Ramar Sethu project, he said everybody had a right to say their own thing but he believes that religion and politics should be kept apart.

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