Rajkot: Two decades after he emerged as the giant killer by defeating Purushottam Rupala in 2002 assembly polls from Amreli, Congress leader Paresh Dhanani is all set to take on the BJP veteran, this time in saffron bastion Rajkot.
Congress leaders led by former MLA Lalit Kagathra successfully convinced a reluctant Dhanani to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Rajkot if the BJP doesn’t change its candidate considering the simmering Kshatriyas agitation against Rupala.
The decision was taken at a meeting in Amreli on Tuesday, where leaders from all assembly constituencies under the Rajkot parliamentary constituency gathered to persuade Dhanani.
Kagathra, the former MLA from Tankara seat, addressed Congress workers in Amreli, saying, “We want to take benefit of the political atmosphere created because of Rupala’s remarks which can turn the results into Congress’s favour.” Although Dhanani had previously refused to contest the LS election from any constituency, the Congress leaders proposed that he could refuse to run if the BJP decides to cancel Rupala’s candidature.
Following the meeting with Dhanani, Kagathra told reporters, “Looking at the atmosphere in Rajkot due to BJP’s arrogance, we can repeat the history of Kunvarjibhai (Bavalia) and it can revive Congres. That’s why we reached out to Pareshbhai to convince him to contest from Rajkot and he agreed”
Bavalia, a Congress candidate, had defeated BJP’s Kiran Bhalodiya in the 2009 election in Rajkot. Dhanani’s victory against Rupala in 2002 had come at a time when Gujarat was swept by a massive Modi wave.
He has served as the leader of the opposition in the Gujarat assembly and secured wins in the 2012 and 2017 assembly elections. As a member of the Leuva Patel community, Dhanani’s candidacy is expected to divide the Patidar votes, given that Rupala belongs to the Kadva Patidar community.
Dhanani said, “Looking at the affection of the leadership, the party workers and my two daughters, I feel that now we should not remain silent (against Rupala).”
State Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil said in Vadodara that senior leaders Bhikhu Varotariya and Punja Vansh had met party members in the Rajkot. “The workers were of an opinion that Dhanani who has defeated Rupala earlier should contest the polls,” he said. “He will contest if the party asks him to. If Rupala steps down, Dhanani has said that some local candidate should be given the ticket,” said Gohil.
Congress leaders led by former MLA Lalit Kagathra successfully convinced a reluctant Dhanani to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Rajkot if the BJP doesn’t change its candidate considering the simmering Kshatriyas agitation against Rupala.
The decision was taken at a meeting in Amreli on Tuesday, where leaders from all assembly constituencies under the Rajkot parliamentary constituency gathered to persuade Dhanani.
Kagathra, the former MLA from Tankara seat, addressed Congress workers in Amreli, saying, “We want to take benefit of the political atmosphere created because of Rupala’s remarks which can turn the results into Congress’s favour.” Although Dhanani had previously refused to contest the LS election from any constituency, the Congress leaders proposed that he could refuse to run if the BJP decides to cancel Rupala’s candidature.
Following the meeting with Dhanani, Kagathra told reporters, “Looking at the atmosphere in Rajkot due to BJP’s arrogance, we can repeat the history of Kunvarjibhai (Bavalia) and it can revive Congres. That’s why we reached out to Pareshbhai to convince him to contest from Rajkot and he agreed”
Bavalia, a Congress candidate, had defeated BJP’s Kiran Bhalodiya in the 2009 election in Rajkot. Dhanani’s victory against Rupala in 2002 had come at a time when Gujarat was swept by a massive Modi wave.
He has served as the leader of the opposition in the Gujarat assembly and secured wins in the 2012 and 2017 assembly elections. As a member of the Leuva Patel community, Dhanani’s candidacy is expected to divide the Patidar votes, given that Rupala belongs to the Kadva Patidar community.
Dhanani said, “Looking at the affection of the leadership, the party workers and my two daughters, I feel that now we should not remain silent (against Rupala).”
State Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil said in Vadodara that senior leaders Bhikhu Varotariya and Punja Vansh had met party members in the Rajkot. “The workers were of an opinion that Dhanani who has defeated Rupala earlier should contest the polls,” he said. “He will contest if the party asks him to. If Rupala steps down, Dhanani has said that some local candidate should be given the ticket,” said Gohil.
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