Gujarat congress woman unit chief resigns over Amee Yagnik’s candidature, Chhota Udepur leaders upset with Rathwa.
The nominations of lawyer Amee Yagnik and former Union minister Naran Rathwa for Rajya Sabha has sparked off anger in the Gujarat unit of Congress, leading to resignation of Gujarat Pradesh Mahila Congress (GPMC) president Sonal Patel from the party on Monday. Rathwa’s nomination from Chhota Udepur has also left several leaders in the district unit of the party miffed. The district Congress of Chhota Udepur, which saw a revolt during the municipality election last month over Rathwa promoting his son, is bracing for more defections after the nomination was announced.
The discontent could now spill over into the Rajya Sabha election itself, with the BJP announcing a third candidate to cash in on the “unhappiness” in the Congress. “Amee Yagnik has never worked for the party organisation. She has not addressed even a small or a big public meeting anywhere in the state,” Sonal Patel told The Indian Express after sending her resignation letter to All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev.
Patel said that when Yagnik joined the party in 2012 and was appointed one of the spokespersons, she was requested to hold counselling session of the party women workers on women’s issues. “But Yagnik categorically said that she could not take part in organisational activities… If she is not interested in taking part in organisational activities of the party, then of what good will she be to the party… Nominating somebody on the recommendation of a lawyers’ lobby will send a wrong message among the party workers. It will discourage them. There are a number of other women in the party who could have been nominated for the Rajya Sabha. They have contributed more for growth and development of the party… I am not saying Yagnik is not competent. But there are more competent women in the party. This is not the way to select candidates,” Patel said.
Yagnik could not be contacted for her comment. Many other leaders, on conditions of anonymity, expressed their displeasure over the selection of the Rajya Sabha candidates. One of them said, “The way party leaders have selected the candidates indicates they deliberately want to kill the party in Gujarat.”
According to party leaders in Chhota Udepur, the district unit lost its senior leaders during the municipality polls as most of them “disagreed” with Rathwa and his son, Sangramsinh, who is the president of the Chhota Udepur city Congress unit. The leaders alleged that Naran and his son chose their favourites for the municipality elections, ignoring several senior leaders who had been winning their respective wards.
“Naranbhai had a big stature during his earlier terms as Lok Sabha member. But when he was made Minister of State for the Railways, he turned distant and stopped communicating with the workers and leaders at the grassroots. There was a definite loss of connect with the people. Therefore, he could not win in 2009 and in 2014. Within the party, too, leaders are upset with the high-handed attitude of both Naran and Sangramsinh, who decide the way they want. That was one of the reasons why both Sangramsinh and his mother Manjula lost the municipality polls,” said a local party leader.
According to party leaders, Rathwa’s possible elevation to the Rajya Sabha is of “no use” to the district. “Naranbhai has only been trying to get a ticket for Sangramsinh. He tried very hard during the Assembly polls last year and failed. His aim is to get his son a Lok Sabha ticket, and therefore all his energies are channeled towards that goal. Therefore, the father-son duo neglect local leaders and the issues facing the residents of the district. It has dipped his popularity severely. There are many hard working leaders in Chhota Udepur, who do not get the credit for their work as Naran and Sangram choose to remain in the limelight. Therefore, this nomination to the Rajya Sabha is very unfair to such leaders,” said a Congress leader.
While Naran Rathwa was unavailable for comment, his son Sangramsinh denied any rebellion within the unit. “This is the first time that a tribal leader has been chosen as a Rajya Sabha candidate. My father has the support of all tribal MLAs. There is no rebellion. Everyone is very happy and excited about this opportunity,” Sangramsinh told The Indian Express.