Vaghela may yet steal thunder from C D Patel

Though the leadership is convinced of Vaghela8217;s abilities to deliver the goods, it is debating over who should be handed over the mantle, a top source in the CWC said. 8220;We have to ensure we get a person acceptable to everyone so that the change doesn8217;t spark off protests from within,8221; he explained.

But in a move that signals the growing clout of Vaghela in Delhi, the high command asked him to initiate the debate on diesel price hike in Parliament on Tuesday. This is not only discomforting news for C D Patel, but also speaks for the previous Lok Sabha performance of Gujarat Congress MPs, who except for one or two, hardly uttered a word in Parliament.

CWC member and senior party leader from Gujarat Ahmed Patel is also miffed over the party8217;s performance and the growing complaints against the State president. Once a C D Patel supporter, Ahmed Patel is learnt to be tacitly backing Vaghela.

The murmur of dissent, which began with the announcement of Lok Sabha election results earlier this month, is growing stronger within the CWC, as a desperate C D Patel tries to dispel speculation that a change of guard is possible in the State.

His statements ever since the election results give away his threat perception from Vaghela, who is accepted in the Congress as a charismatic leader. He first stated that Vaghela8217;s impact was limited to winning the Kapadwanj seat. Then he said Vaghela was an RSS man for 40 years and couldn8217;t be the State Congress president. His latest is that the merger of RJP with Congress has not made any difference to the party8217;s vote share and that Vaghela has not won the Kapadwanj seat on his own strength.

This has irked RJP members, with senior leader Madhusudan Mistry having dashed off a letter to Patel that his statements were not in the interests of the party. He has stated that statistics suggest the Congress8217; vote share has increased.

Patel, however, maintains that some of his statements have been played up. 8220;I have never underplayed RJP and Vaghela, except when they say Congress didn8217;t make any difference to them.8221; He says Congress is an ocean with place for everyone.

It all began when Girish Dani, party candidate for Ahmedabad, blamed the leadership for his defeat, saying he had no organisational support. Then followed reactions from other candidates that they had to fend for themselves, while reports of Vaghela taking over the State unit also began doing the rounds. This was followed by Rashtrapal8217;s outburst before Sonia.

On the other hand, Vaghela himself has maintained a studied silence in the party and spends more time in Delhi improving his stock with the Central leadership. Even during the meeting in Delhi earlier this the month when his associate and Patan MP Pravin Rashtrapal attacked C D Patel and CLP leader Amarsinh Chaudhary before party president Sonia Gandhi, Vaghela preferred to keep mum. Sources close to him suggest he is biding time as he knows that developments are favouring him, without him having to actually make any efforts.