Surat: Severe resentment is brewing among Congress workers against former union minister Dr Tushar Chaudhary who has been given the party mandate to contest from Mahuva assembly constituency.
The local Congress workers have labelled Dr Chaudhary, who is also the working president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), as an 'imported' candidate.
Mahuva in Surat district has become a star constituency with the candidature Dr Chaudhary. A group of 14 senior Congress members from Mahuva had even met the party leadership two days ago demanding that anyone among them should be given the candidature. But their demand was turned down and as a result, very few workers are willing to work for the party during the polls.
This seat was won by BJP candidate Mohan Dodhia by the margin of 12,000 votes in 2012 assembly election. In fact, Dodhia had lost the seat in 2007 to Ishwar Vahia of Congress by a margin of 1,500 votes.
Congress leader in Mahuva, Hemangani Garasia told TOI, "In 2012, I contested as an independent candidate after being denied ticket. I polled nearly 12,000 votes, which led to the defeat of the Congress candidate. This time too, the imported candidate, Dr Tushar Chaudhary has compelled us to sit quietly and do nothing. We would not leave the party but are not going to campaign for him."
Another Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, said, "We have been working for the past six months at booth levels to strengthen the party. Rahul Gandhi in his public speeches had stated that the party would not field imported candidates. So, we had informed the high command that anyone of the 14 leaders in Mahuva would be fine with us. However, party ignored our demands and fielded Dr Chaudhary."
He added, "Now, we will go and cast our vote for the party but cannot go to people in a week's time asking vote for Dr Chaudhary."
The situation on ground in Mahuva assembly constituency with a total of 2.10 lakh voters is such that Dr Chaudhary will have to depend on people from outside the constituency for his campaigning and booth management. This is a schedule tribe (ST) seat and commands lot of tribal votes where Congress always had an upper hand along with Vyara and Nizar.
When asked about the rebellion, Dr Chaudhary said, "I had never asked for a ticket but since party has asked me to contest election from this seat, I cannot refuse. I hope all workers will work together to help the party retain the seat"
The local Congress workers have labelled Dr Chaudhary, who is also the working president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC), as an 'imported' candidate.
Mahuva in Surat district has become a star constituency with the candidature Dr Chaudhary. A group of 14 senior Congress members from Mahuva had even met the party leadership two days ago demanding that anyone among them should be given the candidature. But their demand was turned down and as a result, very few workers are willing to work for the party during the polls.
This seat was won by BJP candidate Mohan Dodhia by the margin of 12,000 votes in 2012 assembly election. In fact, Dodhia had lost the seat in 2007 to Ishwar Vahia of Congress by a margin of 1,500 votes.
Congress leader in Mahuva, Hemangani Garasia told TOI, "In 2012, I contested as an independent candidate after being denied ticket. I polled nearly 12,000 votes, which led to the defeat of the Congress candidate. This time too, the imported candidate, Dr Tushar Chaudhary has compelled us to sit quietly and do nothing. We would not leave the party but are not going to campaign for him."
Another Congress leader, on condition of anonymity, said, "We have been working for the past six months at booth levels to strengthen the party. Rahul Gandhi in his public speeches had stated that the party would not field imported candidates. So, we had informed the high command that anyone of the 14 leaders in Mahuva would be fine with us. However, party ignored our demands and fielded Dr Chaudhary."
He added, "Now, we will go and cast our vote for the party but cannot go to people in a week's time asking vote for Dr Chaudhary."
The situation on ground in Mahuva assembly constituency with a total of 2.10 lakh voters is such that Dr Chaudhary will have to depend on people from outside the constituency for his campaigning and booth management. This is a schedule tribe (ST) seat and commands lot of tribal votes where Congress always had an upper hand along with Vyara and Nizar.
When asked about the rebellion, Dr Chaudhary said, "I had never asked for a ticket but since party has asked me to contest election from this seat, I cannot refuse. I hope all workers will work together to help the party retain the seat"
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