NCP replaces its party chief in Gujarat, days before key RS polls

Sources said Vaghela had strong reservations about the NCP supporting BJP in the elections, where every vote will count after the saffron party put up a third candidate for the four seats in the fray. The Congress has fielded senior party leaders Shaktisinh Gohil and Bharatsinh Solanki.

Jayant Patel, a former MLA from Umreth, in Anand district, told The Indian Express, “The party has sent the order for change of guard. I will take charge (from Vaghela) tomorrow.”

Vaghela told The Indian Express, “I continue to be the national general secretary of NCP. I plan to hold a press conference on Thursday. I don’t want to say anything until then.”

Asked what may have led to the decision, Patel said the party has decided to “dissolve” Vaghela’s leadership. “He has held the post for over a year-and-a-half,” he said.

The NCP’s lone MLA in Gujarat Assembly is Kandhal Jadeja. While the party is an ally of the Congress, along with the Shiv Sena, in Maharashtra, and is part of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, it is not clear whether Jadeja would support the Congress in the Rajya Sabha polls.

Differences are said to have arisen between Vaghela and the NCP leadership over this issue of voting after BJP put up former state Congress leader Narhari Amin as its third candidate, even though the party does not have enough numbers to win three seats without a contest.

The ruling party’s two other candidates are Ramilaben Bara and Abhay Bharadwaj.