Gujarat Congress leaders want veteran as state unit president

New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Congress leaders from Gujarat in their deliberations with the state in-charge Raghu Sharma have advocated the appointment of a senior leader as the state president of the party and have declined the suggestion to appoint a young leader as party chief.

Sources said that during the consultation process with the state leaders the party has been given the feedback that a leader who knows the Congress workers should be appointed at the helm. The state leaders opposed the elevation of Hardik Patel who is working president of the state unit.

A senior leader said that the names floated in Delhi are media creations and not the actual names which were considered. The party has got suggestions to appoint Koli leader and former Lok Sabha member Jagdish Thakor and Rajya Sabha MP Shakti Singh Gohil who is Delhi in-charge of the party. Both leaders are said to be in the middle segment and could adjust with seniors like Bharat Singh Solanki, Siddharth Patel and Arjun Modwadia -- all former state presidents. If the party goes for a senior leader then Bharat Singh Solanki and Arjun Modwadia could be considered.

Top leaders of the Gujarat Congress had a marathon meeting with former Congress president Rahul Gandhi last week in New Delhi. He held a detailed discussion regarding the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat which are likely to be held in December next year with all the top leaders. There were also discussions regarding the presidentship of the Gujarat Congress as well as the Leader of Opposition Party (LOP) position in Gujarat. At present, both the positions are vacant since both the leaders holding those posts resigned long back.

Amit Chavda, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president said "We have invited Rahul Gandhi to participate in the three day Chintan Shibir that will be held in November and we are sure that he will be present in the Shibir and guide the Congress on the party's stand in Gujarat."

"There are no rifts in the party as spread by some. Today Rahul Gandhi had a detailed discussion with us for more than three hours and listened to everybody. He will be meeting many other leaders later and thereafter the party high command will take appropriate decisions regarding the Gujarat Congress leadership and also the upcoming state assembly elections," Chavda added.