Congress chief Siddharth Patel

‘Old Congress’ men and Shankarsinh Vaghela faction join hands to dislodge Patel for state party presidentship

Dilip Patel

Gujarat Congress president Siddharth Patel is facing intense hostility from partymen barely a year into his stint as state chief. Sources said Congress men of various shades have teamed up to launch an assault from inside primarily to corner positions of influence for themselves and get their men tickets for the upcoming district and taluka panchayat elections in the state. Primary among them are ‘old Congress’ hands and Shankarsinh Vaghela-led former RJP members.

Siddharth Patel, son of late CM Chiman Patel, was made party president July 2008. He is seen as principal adversary, and leader third grouping in Congress, for being from the erstwhile Janata Dal. Bandying the teaming up as a bid to strength the party, his opponents are creating an occasion to make out a case against Patel before the central leadership. Party leader and ex-home minister Jitu Shah at whose place Congress men met, said “All of us including, Arjun Modhwadia, ex-CM Madhavsinh Solanki and Shankarsinh Vaghela, plan to meet the high command to explain to it why the Congress has been on the decline in the recent past, and how committed cadres are drifting away from the party.”

Some of Patel’s problems are of his own doing. Congress members say he is authoritarian in decision-making and can’t take difference of opinion kindly. There was in fact considerable opposition against Patel when his name was first suggested for state presidentship. Making matters worse for him are party bigwigs whom the central leadership dropped from plum posts. With nothing much to do, heavyweights like Arjun Modhwadia, ex-state chief Bharat Solanki and Vaghela, have a lot of time and reason to gun for Patel.

The Siddharth Patel came is doing all it can to expose the disgruntled lot for their intentions. Retorting such attempts, former Youth Congress leader Umnakant Mankad said, “Calling us rebels or disgruntled lot is not in the interest of the party. We are committed workers. This can lead to an explosive situation.”

As for Modhwadia, insiders said he is quietly nurturing ambition to be next state Congress chief. When AM asked him what he felt about attempts to project him as the next president, Modhwadia said, “No comments.” Obviously happy at the suggestion, and almost acknowledging such attempts by his supporters.

Siddharth Patel too can see the storm building up. “I would support any move that’s taken to strengthen the party. But this is not that sort of move,” he said. Quite convincing reasoning from somebody who is party president and is yet not invited in meetings held to strengthen the party.

In a late evening development, sources said two representatives of the central leadership was in two to meet Siddharth Patel.