Within fortnight of strong Koli leader Kuvarji Bavalia’s entry in saffron fold from Congress party, former Gujarat Chief Minister and ex-Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Shankersinh Vaghela’s elder son Mahendrasinh also joined BJP ahead of 2019 lok Sabha polls.
Junior Vaghela’s entry in BJP would ensure Kshtriya votes in pockets of Gujarat for the party as Shankersinh is having considerable sway in at least three lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Two major migrations from Congress would keep ruling BJP’s hope alive to retain all 26 lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.
Mahendrasinh had won 2012 Assembly polls on a Congress ticket from Bayad constituency in North Gujarat. He had quit the party along with his father and 13 other legislators before Rajya Sabha elections that saw senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in trouble and could win with thinnest possible margin. Soon after Rajya Sabha polls, junior Vaghela was expected to join the saffron brigade and contest on BJP ticket on 2017 assembly polls. However, he decided to be with his father’s political experiment to rejuvenate a non-descript political outfit Jan Vikalp Morcha. The Morcha contested over 105 seats but none of its candidates made it to 182-seat Gujarat Assembly.
Sources in Gujarat’s political circles believe that the way Bavalia was rewarded with cabinet rank ministership, Mahendrasinh too would be given lok Sabha ticket in 2019 lok Sabha polls.
Meanwhile, senior Vaghela who was also former union minister in Congress led UPA government said that though his son had right to take his political decisions, he was disagree with Mahendrasinh’s decision. He went on to say that Mahendrasinh might be under pressure from BJP and hence he could have taken the decision hurriedly.
“I am giving him a week’s time to call his supporters and seek their view on joining BJP. If they refuse, he should immediately resign from BJP,” Shankersinh told media-persons hours after his son donned saffron scarf. He further said that if Mahendrasinh would not do so, he would disown him politically. However he clarified that there wouldn’t be any impact on father-son relations. On his political future, the former CM said that he would definitely become active ahead of 2019 lok Sabha polls.
A senior Congress leader once considered to be close to Shankersinh Vaghela said that the statement from former GPCC president was nothing but ‘political drama’ as his son wouldn’t take any political decision without his consent.