Gujarat Congress leader Kunvarji Bavaliya sends signal: For my people, I need to change

Talking to mediapersons after the convention, Bavaliya said: “We want to devise a strategy for development of this area and to tackle issues of education, employment, societal issues etc. We shall keep voters of this area together, people of all communities together. If we need to change our ideas, we shall do it after taking everybody in confidence. Voters of this area have confidence in me, and likewise I have confidence in them… In the coming days, if we need to make a decision for facilitating the development of this area, we shall do it after taking voters into confidence,” said the 62-year-old politician.

Vinchhiya taluka is part of Jasdan Assembly seat. The constituency is overwhelmingly dominated by Koli community. Bavaliya was elected from this seat four consecutive times — from 1995 to 2007 — before he went on to win the 2009 Lok Sabha election from Rajkot. While the Congress lost the bypoll of 2009, the party captured the seat again in 2012. After failing to retain his Rajkot Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 Parliamentary elections, Bavaliya returned to Jasdan Assembly seat in 2017 and won it for the fifth time. In the run-up to the Assembly election in December last year, the Congress had made Bavaliya one of the four working presidents of the GPCC. He was one of the contenders for the post of Congress legislature party leader after his party lost the Assembly election despite making big gains. Instead Paresh Dhanani was made the Leader of Opposition, leaving Bavaliya, one of the tallest leader of Koli community, fuming.

Amidst speculation that he was warming up to the BJP, Bavliya had met Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Friday and said that he was not quitting the Congress. But on Sunday, he said his supporters were of the view that it was better to be part of the ruling party. “This was a samrasta sammelan of Koli community and people from other communities also were also present. We were here not do casteism but discuss uplift of all communities. The oblique hint by everybody (at the sammelan) was that only that area is developed when there is power,” he said.

Bavaliya also complained that the state government had meted out stepmotherly treatment to his constituency since it was represented by an MLA of opposition Congress for more than two decades. “It is natural on the part of the government to some extent as we are Opposition MLAs,” Bavaliya said, when asked if he thought his constituency had been left behind in development because he was a Congress MLA. He, however, added: “As an MLA and as an MP, I have always done all within my powers for development of this area. But I feel, an Opposition MLA cannot contribute to development of an area in a manner an MLA of the ruling party would do.”

Congress MLA from Chotila, Rutwik Makwana and former Jasdan MLA Bhola Gohil, who had defected to the BJP during the Rajya Sabha election last year, were also present at the sammelan and addressed the gathering.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Bavaliya said his constituency had been lagging behind in development despite his dedicated efforts. He said his area had been lacking good facilities for education, opportunities for employment etc. “The fact remains that good infrastructure is lacking here despite a few schools opening here and there. We have been found wanting politically to contribute to development of this area. To overcome this situation, let us start thinking from today as to what can be done, political affiliations apart,” said the MLA.

However, Bavaliya evaded a direct answer when asked if he was joining BJP. “In public life, one cannot be guided by one community only. One has to take such decision only after taking voters and community leaders on board. Today, members from one community had assembled here. In coming days, members from other communities will also meet. I shall respect what community leaders and voters decide in coming days,” he said.