News Analysis India

Tag: Arjun Modhwadia

  • Big Setback For Congress As Gujarat MLA Arjun Modhwadia, Ambarish Der Resign Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, Lok Sabha Polls |

    Three days ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s Gujarat leg, a big setback came for Congress as two key party leaders resigned from the grand old party. Congress MLA and former president of the party’s Gujarat unit Arjun Modhwadia resigned from the assembly and the party while the party’s working president of the Gujarat unit Ambarish Der also resigned leaving the party in troubled waters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

    Two Big Leaders Quit Congress

    Modhwadia submitted his resignation to the state Assembly Speaker. He was among the Congress CM contenders during the 2017 polls. Addressing the media, Modhwadia said, “When a party loses its connection with the people, it cannot survive for long. The people of the country wanted the Ram Temple to be constructed. The Congress had also decided that after a constitutional verdict from the Supreme Court, we would support it. Even then the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha was declined. I raised my voice then too, that this would hurt the public sentiment and we should not make such political decisions and that decision showed a lack of connection with the people. I tried to convey my message in several other matters, but I was not successful. Finally, I decided to resign today.”

    The party’s Gujarat unit working president Ambarish Der also resigned from the party and said he will join the ruling BJP on Tuesday. His resignation came after the party suspended Der from all posts and as a primary member of the Congress for a period of six years for his ‘anti-party activities’.

    Earlier in the day, Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president CR Paatil visited Der’s residence in Ahmedabad. Der also said that he was upset with the party’s stand on Ram temple in Ayodhya. The 46-year-old former MLA claimed it will be his “home-coming” as he was with the BJP in the past and worked extensively for it when he was young.

    Der had represented the Rajula seat in the Amreli district from 2017 to 2022 as the Congress MLA. He had defeated BJP’s heavyweight Hira Solanki, the younger brother of state minister Parshottam Solanki. Ahead of the 2022 Gujarat assembly polls, Der was made the Congress working president and remained on the post despite suffering defeat at the hands of his arch rival Hira Solanki.

    Assembly, Lok Sabha Polls Speculation

    While there is speculation that Hira Solanki might be asked to resign as the Rajula MLA and fielded from the Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seat, and Der might be the BJP candidate for the Rajula seat bypoll. The BJP might field one of the two leaders in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

    Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra

    Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra will enter Gujarat on March 7 and will cover 400 kilometres across seven districts over four days. During this, Rahul Gandhi will offer prayers at temples and visit the historic Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “There will be 27 corner meetings and six public gatherings as part of the yatra’s Gujarat leg. Some of the distance will be covered using cars and buses, while foot marches will be held in urban areas,” said the Congress. 

    The yatra, which began in the strife-torn Manipur, will culminate in Mumbai on March 20-21 after covering 6,713 kilometres across 110 districts over a period of 67 days, as per party leaders.

  • People won’t be misled, state has no power to make such laws: Cong on Guj govt’s decision on UCC 

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress on Saturday said people would not be misled by the BJP government’s decision to form a committee for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

    Calling it a “gimmick” ahead of Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said the state legislature has no power to make such laws.

    The Bhupendra Patel government earlier in the day announced that a committee headed by a retired High Court judge would be formed to study the modalities of implementing the UCC.

    “This gimmick is aimed at misleading the public who are suffering due to inflation and joblessness and a host of other problems because of the failure of the government.

    The power to implement the Uniform Civil Code lies with the Centre.

    Personal laws were passed by Parliament, and the Gujarat Assembly does not have the power to make this law,” Modhwadia said at a press conference.

    “The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 27 years and it has been in power at the Centre for eight years.

    Now that the Assembly elections are round the corner, the decision regarding the Uniform Civil Code does not make sense,” he added.

    The BJP was using this “trick” as the people are determined to throw out the state government which has left the youth, farmers, cattle herders and all other segments of society frustrated, the Congress leader claimed.

    AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Congress on Saturday said people would not be misled by the BJP government’s decision to form a committee for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code.

    Calling it a “gimmick” ahead of Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia said the state legislature has no power to make such laws.

    The Bhupendra Patel government earlier in the day announced that a committee headed by a retired High Court judge would be formed to study the modalities of implementing the UCC.

    “This gimmick is aimed at misleading the public who are suffering due to inflation and joblessness and a host of other problems because of the failure of the government.

    The power to implement the Uniform Civil Code lies with the Centre.

    Personal laws were passed by Parliament, and the Gujarat Assembly does not have the power to make this law,” Modhwadia said at a press conference.

    “The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the last 27 years and it has been in power at the Centre for eight years.

    Now that the Assembly elections are round the corner, the decision regarding the Uniform Civil Code does not make sense,” he added.

    The BJP was using this “trick” as the people are determined to throw out the state government which has left the youth, farmers, cattle herders and all other segments of society frustrated, the Congress leader claimed.