In a surprise development, the BJP announced Saturday the resignation of its Gujarat general secretary Pradipsinh Vaghela, a close aide of its state president C R Paatil. While the party said he resigned “voluntarily”, Vaghela told The Indian Express that he tendered his resignation on July 29 as he was asked to quit. The same day as Vaghela's resignation, BJP Vadodara city unit general secretary Sunil Solanki also quit his post, another development that came to light on Saturday. The announcement of the two resignations coincided with the suspension of three BJP leaders in Surat district on the charge of "tarnishing the party's image" through allegations against Paatil. Speaking to The Indian Express, Vaghela, considered the most influential of the three current Gujarat BJP general secretaries, said: “I have resigned as I was asked (to do so) by the party. I do not know the reasons for the same. Today, whatever I am, it is because of the party. I have done nothing wrong for which I should be ashamed.” BJP general secretary Rajni Patel, however, said Vaghela had “voluntarily resigned owing to personal reasons”. Addressing mediapersons, Patel said: “Pradipsinh Vaghela is a dedicated and active worker of the party. He said that he is currently not comfortable discharging duties in the party and voluntarily resigned for some time. The resignation has been accepted.” Before the news of Vaghela's resignation, there were reports that he was barred from entering the BJP headquarters. Patel said there was no truth to these reports. “Pradipsinh was and is a worker of the party. Each and every worker has the right to come to the party office.” Denying any knowledge of complaints against Vaghela or talk regarding the same, Patel added: “A party worker may resign voluntarily if some situation arises. Similarly, Pradipsinh has resigned. It is completely his personal matter.” As general secretary, Vaghela was in charge of the state's south zone for the party, apart from Ahmedabad city and district, as well as BJP state headquarters Shree Kamalam in Gandhinagar. With Vaghela’s ouster coming along with suspension of three leaders in Surat for alleged anti-party activities, it has given momentum to talk of a revolt brewing against the BJP chief in south Gujarat. On Saturday, the three – BJP Tarsadi town unit president Devendra Chauhan and former president of Tarsadi Nagarpalika and BJP in charge of Umarpada Nagarpalika Rakeshsinh Ranjeetsinh Solanki, and Tarsadi Nagar Palika coordination committee chairman Hardipsinh Rajendrasinh Atodariya – were suspended by the BJP for "anti-party activities" and for tarnishing the image of the party. Solanki's arrest followed the arrest of a Jinendra Shah by the Surat Crime Branch last month, on a similar charge of defaming Paatil. Speaking to The Indian Express, Paatil denied any link between Vaghela's resignation and the suspension of the three leaders. “Vaghela remains a party worker and he can come to the state Kamalam office anytime. The three leaders from Surat district were involved in tarnishing the image of the party and damaging my image." Surat district BJP president Bharat Rathod said, “The alleged role of the three came to the fore during a police probe. Acting on the orders of the state BJP organisation committee, we have suspended them for six years.” Rathod added that the party didn't need to hear their side of the story. Vaghela's resignation is the second time a party general secretary has left under Paatil's leadership. In April, Bhargav Bhatt was relieved for reasons that remain unclear. With Vaghela's resignation, only two general secretaries remain in the Gujarat BJP – Rajni Patel and Vinod Chavda. In Vadodara, Sunil Solanki's resignation came on the heels of the ouster last month of Alpesh Limbachiya, a BJP leader in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), following his arrest over the release of defamatory anonymous letters against Mayor Nilesh Rathod. Amidst talk that more leaders might face action in the case, Solanki told The Indian Express he was not worried. "I am sitting in the office, wearing a party stole and meeting people. My resignation coming on the same day as that of Pradipsinh Vaghela is a mere coincidence." He called the reasons behind the resignation as "personal", and talked about devoting more time to family. A former Vadodara mayor, Solanki added: "It does not mean that I will not give my time to the party or perform the duties the party hands out to me.” On the arrest of BJP leaders over defamation complaints, Solanki called the development “unfortunate”. "The BJP has always been a transparent party for its leaders. Our experience is that Paatil saheb always answers his phone personally. If anyone has a grievance, they can approach him directly, rather than these surreptitious acts,” he said.
