State MLAs seeking RaGa’s time to discuss poll strategies

Ahmedabad: At least 23 out of 68 Gujarat MLAs have been seeking former an audience with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi despite rumours of national party leadership wanting his exit from the high command.

In less than two weeks of the Chintan Shibir that was held in Dwarka, which was attended by Gandhi, state leaders have requested him to take an active role in Gujarat politics. It is unclear as to why they are seeking Gandhi’s time when they already met him at Dwarka last month.

Lalit Vasoya, one of the MLAs who has written to the leader, told First India, “We (him and other MLAs) have written an email to him, seeking his time.

We want to meet him to discuss the upcoming state assembly election and leadership roles. He was only at the Chintan Shibir for four hours and things were not discussed at length.” Another MLA Kirit Patel echoed a similar sentiment. “Few MLAs have sought his time.

As the budget session of the legislative assembly is underway, we cannot go to Delhi. If we do that, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will start crying foul that instead of raising public issues, the Congress MLAs have fled away.

The main purpose of seeking RaGa’s time is to discuss how to strengthen the party and re-establish Congress rule in the state.” According to political analyst Hari Desai, Congress MLAs want the entry of Patidar leader Naresh Patel.

“If the MLAs really want to meet with the high command, then they should meet either Sonia or Priyanka Gandhi, who is the general secretary. Rahul Gandhi is just MP of Wayanad. But, some people still think that he is their leader. Naresh Patel wants to join Congress, but the leaders are buying time for now,” he said.