Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s much talked about introspection leave from important Budget Session has resulted into change of guard in Gujarat Congress after almost five long years.
On Sunday the party announced former Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation in UPA-II Government, Bharatsinh Solanki as Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president replacing Arjun Modhvadia. Confirming the development, GPCC spokesman Manish Doshi said Gujarat in-charge and AICC general secretary Gurudas Kamat after consultation with AICC president Sonia Gandhi appointed Solanki for the post.
Ahead of the crucial Budget Session, Rahul Gandhi took “leave of absence” to reflect on a series of electoral defeats and deliberate on the future course of the oldest political party. Co-incidentally, first major change for the Congress has taken place non-other than in the BJP bastion and the homestate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Under the leadership of outgoing Gujarat Congress chief Modhvadia, the party witnessed heavy defeats in 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections as well as 2014 parliamentary elections. He remained on the post for almost five years since 2011. It’s all stalwarts including Solanki himself, leader of opposition in Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela, former Union Ministers Tushar Chaudhry and Naran Rathava among others lost from their respective parliamentary constituencies.
Modhvadia had tendered his resignation immediately after party’s debacle in 2012 Assembly elections. However, the party high command insisted him to continue. Interestingly even after 2012 debacle, Congress continuously witnessed one after another defeats in various elections ranging from lok Sabha, Assembly, Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and even District Panchayat by polls. Despite that AICC continued him in wake of 2014 lok Sabha elections. However, the decision was proven wrong as Congress experienced worst ever defeat in the history of lok Sabha elections in the State.
Solanki is son of former Gujarat Chief Minister Madhavsinh Solanki. His illustrious father successfully implemented KHAM theory (Kshtriya, Harijan Adivasi and Muslim) and worked in favor of the Congress party for almost a decade.