Uncertainty over ‘annoyed’ Koli leader and Minister Parshottam Solanki in Gujarat Government continued as he skipped weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Solanki who is Minister of State for Fisheries in the Vijay Rupani Government shown displeasure over allocation of portfolios and tacitly threatened BJP leadership saying that Koli community is not happy over ‘insignificant’ portfolio given to him. In fact, the five-time MlA from Bhavnagar rural constituency demanded that considering his seniority he should be given Cabinet rank.
Though the fisheries minister remained absent in Cabinet meeting, large number of his supporters, mostly from Koli community assembled at his official bungalow at the State capital Gandhinagar. His brother Hira Solanki, who lost from Jaffarabad Assembly constituency in Amreli district of Saurashtra region too reached in support of his sibling. Hira Solanki remained MlA twice.
According to Parshottam he should be given more department so he could do work for the people across the communities. In front of media he went on to say that at present it is difficult to pass time in his office as he literally has no work.
“Koli community members feel that more portfolios should be given to me. Community leaders from across the state came voluntarily at my residence to express solidarity on the issue,” said the disgruntle Minister, adding that he is sure BJP leadership would consider Koli community’s feeling and do something.
In context of Koli population in the State which is more than 15 per cent of the total population of Gujarat, Solanki said that in the upcoming lok Sabha elections next year, Koli’s would decide whom to support. Koli’s influence 45 Assembly seats out of 182 in Gujarat.
Senior Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama who has been deputed to persuade Solanki to accepted the fact that the 57-year-old Minister contributed immensely to attract Koli voters towards BJP in the past two decades. Chudasama claimed that, Solanki was not unhappy but he only express his sentiment and the BJP leadership had taken it positively.