Congress faction teaming up with BJP to dislodge me: Vaghela

The political situation in Gujarat has hotted up with the Janata Dal (Gujarat) faction in the Congress led by Urmilaben Patel, MP, hob-nobbing with the Bharatiya Janata Party to dislodge the 10-month-old Shankarsinh Vaghela government.

Addressing the media at Gandhinagar on Wednesday, Chief Minister Vaghela alleged that the Urmilaben faction had a clandestine meeting with the BJP leadership to destabilise his government.

He said he had already briefed Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief Prabodh Raval about the move and requested him to apprise Congress president Sitaram Kesri about the development.

Of the 28 Congress legislators belonging to the Janata Dal (Gujarat) faction, nine had supported the move to bring down Vaghela. But three of them have already backed out, it is reliably learnt.

Urmilaben Patel, who had a secret meeting with the BJP leadership in Delhi, said she was willing to form the government with the BJP's support. Urmilaben is the widow of former Gujarat chief minister Chimanbhai Patel.

Leaders of the JD (G) faction will meet in Ahmedabad on Saturday to review the situation.

Vaghela alleged that the BJP had earlier tried to dislodge his government with the support of a Bombay businessman, but did not succeed.

UNI