NAFED Chairman resigns from Cong

Taking responsibility for his blame on BJP-ruled Gujarat Government that too on Congress platform over groundnut procurement scam, senior Congress leader and chairman of National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) Vaghji Boda on Thursday tendered his resignation to Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC).

Boda who is also vice-chairman of Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KHRIBHCO) had mad allegation that the incidents of fires that gutted groundnut worth Rs 31 crore could be a conspiracy to hide corruption in procurement procedure. Boda went on to say that because of differences between Gujarat CM and Dilip Sanghani, chairman of Gujarat State Co-operative Marketing Federation Limited (GUJCOMASOL), procurement work of groundnut was given to loss making co-operative societies. He had also stated that in the procurement process, State Government agencies were involved and not NAFED.

“As chairman of NAFED my statement on groundnut procurement case was not in good taste. I would like to apologies for the same. Hence I decided to tender resignation to Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC),” said Boda while talking to The Pioneer.

Interestingly Gujarat’s Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said on Wednesday that the NAFED chairman should resign from his post. However, a day after Boda resigned from Congress party instead of NAFED chairman citing reason that he made statement in haste that too on Congress platform. He further said that if his involvement in groundnut procurement would be proved, he would also resign as NAFED chairman. Meanwhile GPCC spokesman Manish Doshi said that since 2002, Congress has nothing to do with the NAFED chairman as Boda and his sons are director in BJP controlled Rajkot District Co-operative Bank as well as Morbi Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC). Hence, Boda’s resignation wouldn’t make any difference to Congress party, said Doshi.

Boda is considered as close aide of strong Patidar leader Vithal Radadia who is also sitting Porbander MP. Radadia’s son and senior Jayesh who is Cabinet rank Minister in Rupani Government is the chairman of Rajkot District Co-operative Bank.