Gujarat Congress still awaits key appointments

The Congress, the principal opposition party in Gujarat, is yet to get its brass in place.

While the high command is yet to appoint the Gujarat Congress in-charge, state Congress president and leader of the opposition, among other key appointments, party workers are helplessly watch the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fast emerging as a strong political force.

The party had lost its state in-charge, Rajiv Satav, to Covid in May. Prior to that, state president Amit Chavda and Leader of the Opposition Paresh Dhanani had tendered in their resignations following the debacle in the civic body polls.

The high command has asked Chavda and Dhanani to continue until the new appointments are made.

A senior Congress leader admitted the delay in appointments is costing the party in a big way. "Obviously, when others have started preparations for the assembly elections next year, we are yet to set our house in order. We are losing time," he said. "But the high command has other priority states to take care of first and I guess our turn will come soon."

Top Congress leaders from the state had a meeting with Rahul Gandhi on June 24 when he had reached Surat to appear before a local court in a defamation case.

"We had appraised him of the situation," said a top party leader.

"Now we shall have to play a 20-20 instead of a test match when an in-charge gets to spend five years to understand the state and strategise. We will need someone like Gurudas Kamath, who is bold, aggressive and astute," said the leader.

It is only after the state party in-charge is appointed that decision on the state Congress president and leader of the opposition can be made. Till then, status quo will continue, explained another senior leader.