Paswan and Raj Babbar to attend RJP convention

AHMEDABAD, Aug 17: The first convention of the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP) formed by Gujarat Chief Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela, to be held here at the Indulal Yagnik Nagar on August 20, will be attended by Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and film star Raj Babbar.

Addressing a press conference here this afternoon, Vaghela said that an estimated half a million people from the State were likely to attend it. He said that since he regarded them as his “high command”, it was his duty to unfold the achievements made by his ten-month-old government before the people. To a question, the Chief Minister said that educational reforms, providing drinking water facility to the people and betterment of the landless labourers were his priorities.

Vaghela claimed that his RJP had enrolled four lakh members in the past one year and no Congress man had been given the membership as Congress was supporting the government from outside.

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He said most of the people who had been given membership were either from Bharatiya Janata Party or youths who have just joined politics.

Asked about the response to the membership drive in other parts of the country, Vaghela said he would soon go to Jalandhar to talk to some Akali leaders in this connection and also some in Telengana region.

Vaghela said he had always consulted with Congress leaders about various decisions of the State during his ten months’ rule and was still ready to do so.