In a move seen as clipping the wings of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bharatsinh Solanki, the Congress has appointed four working presidents of its state unit, barely three months before the state goes to polls.
The All India Congress Committee said in a release that party vice president Rahul Gandhi has approved the proposal to appoint Tushar Chaudhary, Paresh Dhanani, Kunwarji Bavaliya, and Karsan Das Soneri as working presidents of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect.
The Congress seems to have kept caste and regional equations in mind while appointing the four working presidents. Chaudhary, a former union minister, belongs to the tribal community, which has a sizeable presence in the southern and eastern belts of the state. Similarly, Dhanani, a two-time MLA from Saurashtra, is a Patel, a community that forms one of the strongest vote banks for BJP. Bavaliya, a former MP from Rajkot, is a Koli Patel leader. Koli Patels are another electorally-powerful community, especially in the coastal belts of the state. The fourth working president Karsan Das Soneri is a Dalit, and is a prominent Dalit face of Congress, especially after the passing away of ex-MP Pravin Rashtrapal.
Cong forms state election committee
With the state assembly elections barely three months away, the Congress seems to be getting into poll mode.
A day after appointing close to 100 office bearers to its already huge Gujarat body, and forming several election related committees, the party also announced its state election committee, which would primarily be responsible for screening of potential candidates.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi approved the Pradesh Election Committee, which will be chaired by state Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki.
Congress MLAs to BJP
- The BJP unit will welcome two defecting Congress MLAs on Saturday.
- However, BJP leaders are unhappy as their chances of getting a ticket will now be slim.
- CM Vijay Rupani and state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani will welcome the two Congress MLAs.
NEW LEADERSHIP
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has approved the appointment of Tushar Choudhary, Paresh Dhanani, Kunwarji Bavaliya and Larsan Das Sonali as working presidents of Gujarat unit with immediate effect.
